Iraqi Australians

Iraqi Australians () are Australian citizens who identify themselves to be Iraqi descent. Since the 1991 Gulf War, thousands of Iraqis have found refuge in Australia. The total of population is estimated to be as high as 95,000.

The first year in which the Australian Census of Population and Housing recorded the Iraq-born separately was 1976, when the population was 2,273. By 1986, the population had risen to 4,516. By the end of the Gulf War in 1991, it numbered 5,186, mainly in New South Wales and Victoria.

Many recent arrivals have entered Australia under the Humanitarian programme. The Gulf War and the quelling of uprisings of the Shi'a and the Kurds in Iraq resulted in a large increase in the number of Iraqis coming to Australia after 1991.

History

Iraqi-born Victorians were first identified in the Victorian census in 1976, when 189 people were recorded. Within five years the community had almost tripled to 408, and by 1991 had increased to 603. Most Iraqis had escaped hardships caused by the eight-year Iran–Iraq War, which ended in 1988.

The outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 led a large number of people to flee Iraq into the neighbouring countries. Some refugees lived in processing camps for up to five years before being accepted into Australia under the Special Humanitarian Program. During this period the visas of around 400 Iraqis living in Australia were extended until the end of the Gulf War.

Iraqi immigration to Australia peaked between 1992 and 1995, with the Iraq-born population in Victoria increasing to 3,492 by 1996. By 2001 this community had increased a further 74% to 6,091 people. Most recent Iraqi immigrants have arrived under the Family and Skilled Migration categories. Some Iraqis have sought refugee status after arrival in Australia, and have been detained pending processing.

Today the Iraq-born community in Australia is culturally diverse, with settlers from many ethnic and cultural backgrounds including Arabs, Assyrians, Kurds, Turkomans, and Mandaeans. Although Islam is the dominant religion in Iraq, only 29% of the Iraq-born immigrants living in Victoria are Muslim; 68% are Christian and who are mostly Assyrian.

Nearly half of the Iraqi community speaks Arabic at home; only 3% speaks English, reflecting the number of recent immigrants in the community. Over half of Iraq-born Victorians are aged under 35, and only 12% are aged over fifty. Of those in the workforce, both men and women are most commonly employed as labourers and related workers within the manufacturing industry, while nearly a quarter are employed in professional positions. The community is supported by organisations such as the Australian Iraqi Forum several religious or cultural associations.

The Australian movie Ali's Wedding portrays the Iraqi Australian experience, stemming from actor/writer Osamah Sami's real-life journey from war-torn Iraq to refugee life in Australia, blending cultural specifics (Islamic faith, arranged marriage and family duty).

Demographics

+ Iraqi Australian demography by religion (note that it includes only Iraqi born in Iraq and not australian with Iraqis ancestries)Religious group202120162011 Catholic 36,566 23,776 17,178 Assyrian 8,059 6,725 5,748 Oriental Orthodox 2,484 1,067 765 Eastern Orthodox 793 569 1,680 Protestant and Other Christian 7,016 4,704 2,245 (Total Christian)54,914 36,846 27,618 Islam 23,593 21,137 15,395 Other (Mostly zoroastrians) 10,095 5,036 2,908 Buddhism 23 15 17 Hinduism 11 19 18 Judaism 99 88 100 No religion 2,238 1,851 757 Not stated 1,437 1,886 1,067 Total Iraqi Australian population 92,922 67,355 48,169

+ Iraqi Australian demography by religion (Ancestry included)Religious group202120162011 Catholic 55,636 35,564 25,794 Assyrian 8,906 7,245 6,176 Oriental Orthodox 3,483 1,576 988 Eastern Orthodox 1,195 828 2,201 Protestant and Other Christian 10,562 7,088 3,402 (Total Christian)79,771 52,320 38,756 Islam 45,182 41,191 29,050 Other (Mostly zoroastrians) 17,945 8,900 4,893 Buddhism 38 33 31 Hinduism 16 22 18 Judaism 656 561 454 No religion 4,172 3,269 1,254 Not stated 2,190 3,249 1,467 Total Iraqi Australian population 150,781 110,234 76,165

Notable people Oren Ambarchi, an Iraqi Jewish musician Mari Emmanuel, Christian priest Faisal Faisal, athlete Don Hany (born 1975), actor (known for his role as Theo Rahme in White Collar Blue) Ali Abbas Al-Hilfi, footballer born in Iraq who plays for Newcastle Jets Toba Khedoori, artist Ninos Khoshaba, Assyrian politician and former member of Parliament in New South Wales Brikha Nasoraia, Mandaean priest and professor Andrew Rohan, Member of the New South Wales legislative Assembly representing the district of Fairfield Osamah Sami, actor Mario Shabow, Assyrian football player for the Central Coast Mariners FC in the Hyundai A-League Mohamed Al-Taay, football player for the Wellington Phoenix in the Hyundai A-League

Iraqi Australians

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