John Zarb was an Australian
conscientious objector to military service (
conscription) during the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...
. Objecting to the principle of forced drafting for military purposes under the
National Service Act (1964), Zarb refused to nominate for conscription. Zarb is of
Maltese heritage.
On 14 October 1968, John Zarb, 21, was the first person to be found guilty of having failed to comply with his call-up notice during the Vietnam War. He was convicted in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
and sentenced to two years' jail. He lost his appeal to the full High Court on 25 November 1968 but was released on compassionate grounds in August 1969 after serving 10 months and 7 days in
Pentridge Prison
HM Prison Pentridge was an Australian prison that was first established in 1851 in Coburg, Victoria. The first prisoners arrived in 1851. The prison officially closed on 1 May 1997.
Pentridge was often referred to as the "Bluestone College", " ...
.
Zarb's gaoling created a great deal of public opposition to conscription. As a postman, Zarb received support from his
trade union
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ...
, the Amalgamated Postal Workers Union (APWU). General Secretary George Slater, stated:
Thirty-four Victorian union officials demanded Zarb's immediate release and protests against his gaoling were often in the newspaper headlines of the time.
References
General references
Leaflet: ''Australia's political prisoner : John Zarb'' State Library of South Australia
by Tony Duras
Australian conscientious objectors
Australian people of Maltese descent
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