GRAF, Peter John

Family Name:

Graf

Given Names:

Peter John

Gender:

Male

Birth-date:

1 July 1949

Death-date:

Unknown

Marital Status:

Unknown, probably single

Age:

20 years old

Location:

VIC, Preston

Occupation:

Medical Student

Primary Motivation:

Draft Resister-Pacifism Religious

Reason for Court Appearance:

[1] Refusal to register for national service

[2] Arrested for non-payment of fine

Court Name and Location:

[1] Unknown, Melbourne

[2] Unknown, Melbourne

Court Hearing Date:

[1] 11 May 1971

[2] 11 June 1971

Court Outcome:

[1] Fine for refusal to register for National Service

[2] Jailed for 8 days for non-payment of fine

Military Event:

National Service and Vietnam War 1964-1972

Further Information:

Peter Graf was from Preston, a suburb of Melbourne. He wrote a long letter to the Minister of Labour and National Service, dated 6 August 1969. He informed the Minister that he could not in all conscience comply with the National Service Act. He assured the Minister his decision was not taken lightly and was aware of the penalties for his action. He said that he was a 20-year-old student in his second year in the medical faculty of Melbourne University. He migrated to Australia, together with his Dutch parents nine years ago. He recently applied for naturalization, having been born in Swatow, China. He was notified of the need to register for National Service during the period 21 July-4 August 1969. He then informs the Minister of the reason for his proposed non-compliance. He states, as a Christian I am committed to an allegiance to Jesus Christ, which constrains me to live according to this God-given moral law as interpreted by Individual informed conscience, and my attitude to all other laws is governed by this same allegiance. He states that as a Christian he must obey the moral law over a man-made law, especially when it is unjust. Indeed, he says, this makes disobedience to an unjust law not only a moral act but also a moral imperative. He continues to inform the Minister that war is a sin and participation in it degrades a man. He further states, that the National Service Act forces men into a coercive organisation to kill and so break the moral law fundamentally and irrevocably…I waive my rights to take my chances in the ballot, obtaining of study deferment, the possibility of failing the medical examination and ultimately conscientious objection. He concludes after developing his case further with the words, War, therefore all war -not merely the Vietnam conflict-is a contravention of the Government’s divine authority.

He exercised his conscientious non-compliance and refused to register for the second intake for 1969. He was fined for this offence. He refused to pay the fine and at a subsequent court hearing he was convicted and sent to jail for 8 days. He was arrested at night, 11pm, at home in bed by the police. This led his father the Revd. J Graf to write to the Herald about the circumstances of his son’s arrest. The future circumstances concerning his non-compliance are unknown. Peter went on to graduate and enjoy a successful medical career.

Confirmatory Sources:

Peacemaker, November/ December 1969, p8; January/ February 1970, p.1; May/ June 1970, p.4; October/ November 1970, p.6; May/ June/ July/ August 1971, p.12.