CHILDS, Brian Oliver

Family Name:

Childs

Given Names:

Brian Oliver

Gender:

Male

Birth-date:

Unknown, possibly 1949

Death-date:

Unknown

Marital Status:

Unknown, probably single

Age Range:

Early 20s

Location:

NSW, Sydney

Occupation:

IT Technician Trainee

Primary Motivation:

Draft Resister- Anti–conscription

Reason for Court Appearance:

[1] Refused to register for National Service

[2] Refusal to obey NSA legal notices

Court Name and Location:

[1] Court of Petty Sessions, Sydney

[2] Unknown, Sydney

Court Hearing Date:

[1] 28 July 1969

[2] 5 June 1972

Court Outcome:

[1] Fined $40 plus $12 costs or 26 days imprisonment in lieu

[2] Adjourned to seek legal advice

Military Event:

National Service and Vietnam War 1964-1972

Further Information:

Brian Childs was a Technician Trainee from New South Wales. He wrote to Minister Bury in January 1969 informing him that he was liable to register but that he was unable to comply with an immoral Act. Accordingly, he refused to register for the January 1969 intake under the National Service Act 1964 (NSA). He was convicted on 28 July 1969 and fined $40 plus $12 costs or 26 days jail in lieu. He refused to pay the fine. He was incarcerated in Long Bay Prison Sydney for 26 days. After his release he continued his non-compliance and refused to attend medical examinations, obey a call-up notice or summons to court. He was arrested on 15 May 1972 for various offences under the NSA and attended the court hearing on 5 June 1972. He was granted an adjournment to seek legal advice. His own view was that he considered himself a conscientious objector within the meaning of the NSA but refused to apply for such. The government was considering using reg. 32Aof the NSA to determine whether he was a conscientious objector within the meaning of the Act. This was delayed and then on 15 December 1972 the Minister did not wish to proceed with the matter. By then the recently elected Federal Government had suspended the NSA, released serving prisoners convicted under the Act and reg 32A, like that for Brian.

Confirmatory Sources:

Peacemaker, January/ February 1969, p.6; March/ April 1969, p.6; November/ December 1969, p.8; May/ June 1970, p.4.

Tribune, 23 May 1972, p.12; 6 June 1972, p.11.

Bobbie Oliver, Hell No! We Won’t Go! Resistance to Conscription in Post War Australia, Interventions, Melbourne, 2022, pp.179 and 246.