The multicultural environment Waters speaks of is the result of over a century's education and changing attitudes. After once placing severe restrictions on non-European immigration through the White Australia policy (formally made law by the Immigration Restriction Act 1901, which required prospective immigrants to pass a 50-word dictation test in any European language), Australia has moved forward and opened her arms to immigration.
對於曾經採行「白澳政策」（限制有色人種移居澳洲的政策，源自 1901 年聯邦政府制定的《限制移民入境法案》，規定凡入境者必須通過歐洲語言測驗），對終於決定張開雙臂擁抱移民的澳洲來說，華適文口中的成長環境，其實是澳洲一百多年來持續的學習和不斷修正態度的果實。