The National Service Act 1951 is a repealed Act of the
Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia
The Parliament of Australia (officially the Federal Parliament, also called the Commonwealth Parliament) is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It consists of three elements: the monarch (represented by the governor-gen ...
. It provided for the compulsory call-up of males turning 18 on or after 1 November 1950, for service training of 176 days. Trainees were required to remain on the
Reserve
Reserve or reserves may refer to:
Places
* Reserve, Kansas, a US city
* Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish
* Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County
* Reserve, New Mexico, a US vi ...
of the Commonwealth Military Forces (CMF) for five years from initial call up. Men could nominate the service in which they wished to be trained. Those nominating the
Navy
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
or the
Air Force
An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an a ...
were considered only if they volunteered for service outside Australia. The first call-up notice was issued on 12 April 1951.
Background
In the midst of communist insurgencies around
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
and the start of the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
, the
Menzies Government
Menzies is a Scottish surname, with Gaelic forms being Méinnearach and Méinn, and other variant forms being Menigees, Mennes, Mengzes, Menzeys, Mengies, and Minges.
Derivation and history
The name and its Gaelic form are probably derived f ...
introduced this act to parliament. Additionally, the
1951 Australian Communist Party ban referendum was held as fear of Communism reached fever pitch in Australia.
Act
Amendments
The act was amended multiple times. The notable listing includes:
* National Service Act (No. 2) 1951
* National Service Act 1953
* National Service Acts 1957
* National Service Act 1964
* National Service Act 1965
* National Service Act 1968
* National Service Act 1971
Analysis
Legacy
Between 1951 and 1959, over 500,000 men registered, 52 intakes were organised and some 227,000 men were trained.
In 1957, National Service with the Navy and the Air Force was discontinued. Registration remained compulsory but the intake to the
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
was cut to almost a third (12,000 trainees) by instituting a ballot for selection. On 24 November 1959, Cabinet decided that National Service call-ups should be terminated and that arrangements for the January 1960 intake would be cancelled.
References
Acts of the Parliament of Australia
Conscription in Australia
1951 in Australian law
Conscription law
{{Australia-law-stub