was initially concerned about the growth of conscientious objection and of outright opposition to the National Service Act. Reportedly, the cabinet considered instituting an option of alternative civilian work program for conscientious objectors in an attempt to reduce the numbers of objectors going to jail. That was never instituted but was widely rumoured at the time. Such work would have been menial labouring jobs in remote locations such as north and western Queensland, western New South Wales and northern South Australia. In Cabinet Submission Number 200 for 1970, Appendix 1, case studies of 17 men awaiting prosecution for failure to undertake service show a broad spectrum of opposition to conscription including: Religious opposition such as Christadelphians, Jehovah's Witnesses Moral opposition to wars Moral opposition to the Vietnam War in particular Opposition based upon the compulsion and authoritarian nature of conscription and its conflict with democratic processes and ideals. The documents reveal that draft resistance and draft dodging never posed a threat to the number of conscripts required, but the public opposition by draft resisters such as John Zarb, Michael Matteson and Robert Martin had an increasingly-political effect. Conscription ended in December 1972, and the remaining seven men in Australian prisons for refusing conscription were freed in mid-to-late December 1972.ef 63,735 national servicemen served in the Army, of whom 15,381 were deployed to Vietnam. Approximately 200 were killed. See also Australian Defence Force Billy Hughes egg-throwing incident References Citations Bibliography Further reading State Library of Queensland holds several collections providing insight into the complexity and divisiveness of the conscription debate, including the 'Stable Collection 1917–1991'. External links Conscription (a Sth Australian perspective) Joan Beaumont: Conscription (Australia), in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War. Military Conscription: Issues for Australia Conscription referendums, 1916 and 1917 Australian War Memorial – Conscription Defence Act 1903 - the federal act which provides for mandatory service under § 60 (Proclamation calling upon persons to serve in time of war) Industrial Workers of the World in Australia Cold War history of Australia Australia