UrbanRedneck
Banned
How long do you all think Australia could have kept its status as a penal colony for the British empire?
AH Question - Australia still a penal colony?
- Thread starter UrbanRedneck
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twovultures
Donor
I don't think the entire continent would be a penal colony, but in a world where Britain and Australia have a closer political relationship there could be a policy of establishing rehabilitative or punitive programs in Australia.
Something like OTL's Corsica, which has (very reluctantly) hosted prison programs to rehabilitate French pedophiles.
Something like OTL's Corsica, which has (very reluctantly) hosted prison programs to rehabilitate French pedophiles.
Australia's days as a dumping ground for criminals were numbered from the start.
Once wealthy individuals back in Britain became aware of Australia's suitability for growing crops and raising livestock (and later finding gold) there was always going to be a push for free settlement. Free citizens sooner or later demand self government. Self government means refusing any more "riff-raff" from blighty England.
Once wealthy individuals back in Britain became aware of Australia's suitability for growing crops and raising livestock (and later finding gold) there was always going to be a push for free settlement. Free citizens sooner or later demand self government. Self government means refusing any more "riff-raff" from blighty England.
It is a actual a 10 pound Pom so you maybe selling yourself a bit short.
Between 1945 to 1972 the Australian Government would incourage imigration from the UK by paying most of the travel cost. This meant at least in the beginning of the program someone from the UK could pay as little a 10 pounds to travel here for a trip that would have cost 120. The new arrivals had to stay for at least 2 years a quarter went back to the UK but half of these Boomerang Poms returned.
Use Tasmania. It has a dwindling population, so once they age and die off federalise the entire island and ship all inmates from other prisons there. And there will still be space for Britain and New Zealand to send their criminals there as well.
Or lease it to the US. Guantanamo of the South Pacific.
Or not, I like my state the way it is,e.g. not a prison.Use Tasmania. It has a dwindling population, so once they age and die off federalise the entire island and ship all inmates from other prisons there. And there will still be space for Britain and New Zealand to send their criminals there as well.
Or lease it to the US. Guantanamo of the South Pacific.
()I suggest using somewhere in the top end. In the early and mid 20th century it was nearly empty and undeveloped. Australia could accept British criminals in return for them populating and developing the region.
Pangur
Donor
Not all the Australian colonies where penal - SA for example does not have a penal background. Equally none of the colonies were pure penal colonies.