Editing Chris Watson (section)

===White Australia===
Watson was a [[white nationalism|white nationalist]] and [[white supremacy|white supremacist]] who played a key role in the creation of the [[White Australia policy]]. According to {{harvp|Hearn|2007}}, the "ideal of a white Australia stood at the centre of Watson's political ideology, a touchstone of Australian identity that Watson repeatedly stressed in interviews, speeches and articles". However, some of his biographers have noted that his racial views were widespread among Australians at the time and that all three major parties supported White Australia.{{sfn|Hearn|2007|p=357}}

During the debate over what became the ''[[Immigration Restriction Act 1901]]'', Watson stated that the issue of racial purity was "the larger and more important one" for the passage of the bill, where some speakers had emphasised concerns over the economic impact of cheap foreign labour. He opposed the government's [[dictation test]] provision on the grounds that it could be easily circumvented, and that "education does not eliminate the objectionable qualities of the Baboo Hindoo". He instead sought to explicitly ban any Asian or African from entering Australia.{{sfn|Hearn|2007|p=358}} During the same debate he spoke of "racial contamination" and referred to Chinese people using a racial slur,{{sfn|Hearn|2007|p=357}} rhetorically asking "whether we would desire that our sisters or our brothers should be married into any of these races to which we object".{{sfn|Hearn|2007|p=358}} 

In 1905, Watson drafted a new plank for the ALP platform calling for "an Australian sentiment based upon the maintenance of racial purity". He successfully moved for its adoption at both state and federal conferences, stating that the party should "cleanse their own doorstep with the hope that thus the street would be cleansed".{{sfn|Hearn|2007|p=361}}