Austral i a i n

Worl d War I
CONSCRIPTION DEBATE
Australi an troops enl i sted vol untarily to fi ght overseas, but
they coul d be conscri pted for servi ce in Australia.
As the war di dn t seem to end, the number of men enl i sting
fel l dramati call y.
The Bri ti sh government put pressure on Australia to ensure
that i ts di vi sions woul d not di mi nish.
They said Australia would need to continue sending 5,500 men every
month to keep their armies operational.
Pri me Mi ni ster Bi l l y Hughes asked the people i f they woul d
agree to a proposal that requi red al l men to do overseas
trai ni ng.

Thi s referendum was defeated:
51% against
49% in favour
1916 REFERENDUM
Bri tain requi red more Australian men, sayi ng that they woul d
need an additional 7, 000 men per month to meet the need.
PM Hughes suggested that vol untary enl i stment woul d
conti nue, but that they woul d make up the numbers by
maki ng i t compulsory for si ngl e men, wi dowers, and di vorced
men wi thout dependents between 20 and 44.
They would be called up by ballot.

Thi s referendum was al so defeated:
54% against
46% in favour
1917 REFERENDUM
In Favour
Australian conservatives
Middle and upper class
Protestant church leaders
Businessmen
Women:
Womens National League
Womens Christian
Temperance Union
National Council of Women
Against
Industrial Workers of
the World
Society of Friends
(Quakers)
Womens Peace Army
Trade unions
Farmers
Irish Catholics

GROUPS INVOLVED IN THE DEBATE
In Favour
Loyalty to Britain.
Support for the men who
were already fighting.
Ensure the burden of
service was spread
shared more fairly.
Could be used to allow
men to stay if:
They had wives and
children.
They had skills that were
essential to the workplace.
They were 19 and under.


Against
Reluctance to support
Britain.
War was immoral.
Unjust to force someone
to go to war.
Fear that the working
class would take on the
burden.
Replace current labour
with cheap foreign or
female labour.
Provide opportunities for
employers to abandon the
hard-won worker rights.

SIDES OF THE DEBATE
Acti vity: Conscri pti on Debate

Make a tabl e (on paper or usi ng your l aptop):




Under Pl us, l i st arguments you hear that are i n favour of
conscri ption.
Under Minus, l i st arguments gi ven for bei ng against
conscri ption.
Under Interesting, wri te anythi ng you fi nd i nteresting from
the cl i p.
VOICES OF THE DEBATE
Plus Minus Interesting