Family Name:
Stephenson
Given Names:
Geoffry
Gender:
Male
Birth-date:
Unknown, possibly 1951
Death-date:
Unknown
Marital Status:
Unknown, probably single
Age Range:
Early 20s
Location:
VIC
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:
Geoffrey Stephenson was from Melbourne. He opposed the National Service Act 1964 (NSA). He refused to register for the July 1970 intake of conscripts. It was unlikely that Geoffrey was 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.
Confirmatory Sources:
Peacemaker, May/ June/ July/ August 1971, p.11; September/ December 1971, p.15.
THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE HONOUR ROLL 