Family Name:
Burns
Given Names:
Michael
Gender:
Male
Birth-date:
Unknown, possibly 1949
Death-date:
Unknown
Marital Status:
Unknown, probably single
Age:
20 years old
Location:
NSW, Glebe
Occupation:
Unknown
Primary Motivation:
Draft Resister
Reason for Court Appearance:
NA
Court Name and Location:
NA
Court Hearing Date:
Na
Court Outcome:
NA
Military Event:
National Service and Vietnam War 1964-1972
Further Information:
Michael Burns was from Glebe, a suburb of Sydney. He publicly refused to comply with the National Service Act 1964 (NSA). He failed to register for the July 1969 intake of conscripts. It is unlikely Michael was prosecuted under the NSA as his status as a non-complier, in October 1972, was the same as for July 1969. 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.
Confirmatory Sources:
Peacemaker, May/ June 1970, p.4; May/ June/ July/ August 1971, p.11.
Tharunka, 18 October 1972, p.6.
THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE HONOUR ROLL 