Family Name:
Williams
Given Names:
Kimberley Lynton (Kim)
Gender:
Male
Birth-date:
26 May 1952
Death-date:
NA
Marital Status:
Single
Age:
20 years old
Location:
NSW, Sydney
Occupation:
University Student
Primary Motivation:
Draft Resister, anti-conscription and anti-Vietnam War
Reason for Court Appearance:
Failure to register for national service
Court Name and Location:
Unknown, Sydney
Court Hearing Date:
1972
Court Outcome:
Unknown, possibly a fine
Military Event:
National Service and Vietnam War 1964-1972
Further Information:
Kimberley Williams (Kim) was born in Camperdown Sydney in 1952. He attended Marsden High School in West Ryde. He won a Commonwealth Scholarship to Sydney University where he studied music, especially the clarinet. Kim refused to register for national service under the National Service Act 1964 (NSA) for the 1972 intake of conscripts. He represented himself at a court hearing for his offence of failing to register for national service under the NSA. The outcome is unknown, but it likely attracted a fine. It is likely that Kim was not further prosecuted under the NSA. The government during 1971 and especially 1972 were reluctant to prosecute when the result would be jailing a young man. This was particularly in regard to a refusal to obey a call-up notice. This attracted 18 months’ imprisonment. The government aimed to minimize its political risk of having large numbers of young men in prison. All pending prosecutions under the NSA were stopped by the newly elected Whitlam Labor government in early December 1972. He married Whitlam’s youngest daughter, Catherine on his birthday 26 May 1998.
After graduation from Sydney University and the end of the Vietnam War, Kim has made an important contribution to music the arts and media, especially in a managerial role. He has many honours and awards. He was appointed chair of the Australian Broadcasting Commission in 2024.
Confirmatory Sources:
Tharunka, 18 October 1972, p.6.
https://www.crikey.com.au/2024/01/26/kim-williams-abc-new-chair/ accessed 13 April 2024
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Williams_(media_executive) accessed 13 April 2024
THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE HONOUR ROLL 