KEANE, David

Family Name:

Keane

Given Names:

David

Gender:

Male

Birth-date:

Unknown, probably 1947

Death-date:

Unknown

Marital Status:

Unknown, probably single

Age:

20 years old

Location:

NSW, Randwick

Occupation:

Unknown

Primary Motivation:

Draft Resister, Anti-conscription

Reason for Court Appearance:

Failure to attend the medical examination (refusal about 5 times) and to enter a recognizance to attend a future medical

Court Name and Location:

Special Federal Court, Sydney

Court Hearing Date:

2 September 1970

Court Outcome:

Sentenced to 31 days jail (failure to attend medical) and 7 days (failure to enter a recognizance to attend a future medical)

Military Event:

National Service and Vietnam War 1964-1972

Further Information:

David Keane was a 20-year-old from Randwick, a suburb of Sydney. He registered for national service under the National Service Act 1964 (NSA). His birthdate was selected in the ballot, and he was due for the July intake into the military in 1970. David developed misgivings about conscription and the army. He moved several times between the states of New South Wales (NSW) and South Australia. During 1969 David signed a Declaration of Conscientious Non-Compliers with many others. The declaration stated that the undersigned believed the NSA to be unjust and undemocratic. Part of it also said that some of us have registered for National Service but have now decided that henceforth we will not comply with this Act and will refuse to submit to medical examination and induction. David was one of those signatories. He was directed by the Department of Labour and National Service (DLNS) at least 5 times to report for the mandatory medical examination. This David refused to comply with. He was summonsed on 2 September 1970 at Sydney to attend the medical. At the Special Federal Court in Sydney, he was fined $40 plus $22 costs or 31 days jail in lieu. He refused to pay and also refused to enter into a recognizance to attend a future medical and was sentenced to 7 days for that offence. He was sentenced to 31 days in Long Bay Prison, NSW.

On 5 September 1970 David decided to fast for spiritual and health reasons. On 11 September 1970, the Commissioner of Corrective Services, WR McGeechan, ordered David be transferred from Long Bay Prison to the psychiatric clinic at Prince Henry Hospital in Sydney because of his deteriorating condition. The fast lasted for 9 days. A few days later Minister Snedden for Labour and National Service informed the House of Representatives that a medical board was to determine whether David was fit for national service. He also informed the House that David had been transferred from the psychiatric ward to the prison ward. On 23 September a spokesman for the Federal Attorney General said David had served 20 days of his 31 days sentence had been released as he had received the normal remission for good behaviour granted in NSW prisons. He had not been returned to Long Bay but had been released from custody ‘on remission’. It created a furor in the parliament with respective ministers seemingly unable to answer satisfactorily questions about the case. The context of Davids case is that the Government at this time was increasingly reluctant to prosecute and imprison non-compliers because of political embarrassment. It is very likely David was one of these. David was interviewed on the Australian Broadcasting Commission programmed ‘This Day Tonight’. David said, He …not comply in any way with the act, including registering as a conscientious objector. This is nothing to do with religious or even pacifist grounds…It’s more associated with repugnance of the nature of conscription itself and for this I’m prepared to go to gaol if its required oof me. It is unknown if there were any further interactions between David and the authorities, it is likely the government did not prosecute him any further until the NSA was suspended in early December 1972 by the Whitam Labor Government.

Confirmatory Sources:

Peacemaker, July/ August 1969, p.4; May/ June 1970, p.4; August/ September 1970, p.7.

Canberra Times, 12 September 1970, p.7; 17 September 1970, p.10; 24 September 1970, p.9; 23 September 1970, p.1; 5 May 1972, p.1.Tribune, 9 September 1970, p.12; 16 September,1970, p.3.