Why did Victoria encourage large-scale immigration after World War II?

Following World War II, Victoria—along with the rest of Australia—actively encouraged large-scale immigration to address several critical national priorities:

• Strategic Security: Following the wartime threat of Japanese occupation, there was a heightened fear regarding the nation's defense. Increasing the population was viewed as essential to strengthening the country strategically against the possibility of future invasion.12
• Economic Development: The war had caused severe labor shortages and reduced population growth. Large-scale migration was necessary to provide the workforce required to industrialize the country, support rapidly expanding manufacturing and construction industries, and fuel economic growth.314
• Demographic Challenges: Immigration was used to offset economic problems stemming from the low birth rate experienced during the Great Depression of the 1930s.2
• Humanitarian Aid: The program provided a pathway for many European refugees who had been left homeless or displaced by the war to find safety and a new way of life.324

This policy, famously summarized by the slogan "populate or perish," transformed Victoria into a more diverse, multicultural society.14