when was the white australia policy introduced

The White Australia policy was introduced with the passage of the Immigration Restriction Act in 1901, shortly after Australia became a federation. This Act was the cornerstone of the policy and aimed to restrict non-European immigration, effectively establishing a racially exclusive immigration system favoring white Europeans, particularly those of British descent. The key feature of this legislation was the dictation test used to exclude non-white immigrants. The policy was formally enacted on December 23, 1901, and shaped Australian immigration for several decades.