According to ABS figures, Australia entered the twentieth century as an overwhelmingly Christian nation, with inhabitants who had been born almost exclusively in Australia, the United Kingdom, or Ireland. Australia ended the century with about 16 percent of its people born in other countries.
While still predominantly Christian, the proportion of Australians affiliating with the Christian faith in 1996 (78 percent) was considerably less than it was in 1901 (98 percent), Much of this change to the cultural composition of Australian society was generated by large-scale postwar migration and a growing tendency for Australians not to affiliate with any religion.
As mentioned, in recent times, there has been a change in immigration patterns, more from European countries to those of the southeast and northeast regions. This dramatic change in immigration has already influenced the taste preferences of both Asian and non-Asian Australians.
The ACNielsen Grocery Report of 1993 showed a 12 percent growth in Asian foods, making it the most popular of the “ethnic” cuisines in Australia, worth around A$100 million.
