Growing support for conscription reveals a community divided
Regional communities like South Gippsland and the Bass Coast remain divided over the idea of mandatory national service 54 years after it was last abandoned.
A LANDMARK study from UNSW Canberra has revealed 43 per cent of Australians support the re-introduction of compulsory national service exposing deep local generational divides and shifting attitudes toward national security.
The comprehensive survey has highlighted how regional communities like South Gippsland and the Bass Coast are still grappling with the idea of mandatory service 54 years after it was abandoned.
With 33 per cent of those surveyed opposing the idea, and 24 per cent remaining neutral the statistics mark a significant shift in the public debate surrounding compulsory military service.
Just as it did in the 1960s a stark divide remains over compulsory national service between age groups. Support peaks dramatically among older generations, with 71 per cent of Australians aged 75 and over strongly backing the reintroduction of conscription.
In sharp contrast, young Australians who would actually face the call-up are the most resistant. Among those aged 18 to 24, opposition is highest, with 36 per cent actively opposing any mandatory military or civic scheme. This generational divide reflects the broader debate that has historically surrounded Australian conscription.
Earlier this year Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester MP marked the 75th anniversary of the 1951 National Service scheme at a special Parliament House ceremony, paying tribute to the 280,000 Nashos who served during the post-war eras.
Federal Member for Monash Mary Aldred said she did not support a return to military conscription however she meets regularly with veterans and ex-service organisations to support returned service men and women. Ms Aldred recently met with a group of veterans from Phillip Island, Inverloch and Wonthaggi to discuss progress on the implementation of the recommendations of the veterans’ royal commission.
The UNSW Canberra study suggested that today's volatile geopolitical climate is prompting many Australians to reconsider mass armed mobilisation. Proponents argue that national service could foster social cohesion, address personnel shortages within the ADF, and prepare the population for potential regional conflicts.
Conversely, critics mirroring the arguments of the 1950s and 1960s, question whether a modern, high-tech defence force reliant on cyber capabilities, advanced aviation, and sophisticated naval platforms could effectively integrate short-term conscripts.
The high level of neutrality (24 per cent) indicates that a quarter of the population remains undecided, waiting to see how political leaders might structure a modern policy and whether it would focus strictly on military combat roles or include broader civil defence, disaster relief, and community service options.
The National Office of the RSL said it had not read the UNSW Canberra survey report and was not in a position to comment at this stage. Leongatha RSL sub-branch President Willem Verboon said he would like to see much more data and feedback on the issue before having an opinion as society attitudes have changed significantly.
The memory of conscription evokes a sense of pride, discipline, and camaraderie with many still viewing national service as a positive, character-building rite of passage.
A street poll of Bass Coast and South Gippsland residents revealed general support for compulsory national service or structured civic duty. For young men thrust out of the bush or isolated rural towns, national service was seen as a defining shared experience.
Those in favour of conscription have frequently argued that a modern equivalent could instil discipline, manners, and personal development in today’s youth.
Veterans recall finding inner strength, establishing lifelong careers, and witnessing boys turn into men. However, the romanticised view of national service is sharply countered by the devastating reality of the Vietnam War.
For the birthday lottery conscripts of the late 1960s and early 1970s, national service was not a mentorship program, it was a deployment to a brutal conflict. Veterans speak of returning home as mere shells of their former, carefree selves.
The RSL focus on supporting veterans underscores a vital truth, any conversation about national service must weigh the perceived societal benefits of defence force discipline, against the profound, enduring human cost borne by those who served.
