Bring back the draft, cries Young ALP (1 Viewer)

[gerhard]

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national...cries-young-alp/2006/01/05/1136387573218.html

THE youth wing of the party that repeatedly opposed conscription during the Vietnam War wants to bring back national service.

NSW Young Labor, Australia's largest political youth group, is backing compulsory national service for high school students as part of their graduation.

The group's president, Sam Dastyari, said there were too many young people who were not willing to contribute to society. "It does not mean you would have to do military service or be an army cadet," he said.

"The community service could take many forms, from being an army cadet to helping with chores at the local retirement village. It could be helping community groups or churches or charities."

Mr Dastyari, 22, said the plan would ensure students received a "well-rounded education".

"You can learn more from working in the community than you can behind a desk in a class," he said. "It is only fair that after having been given so much from the community during your schooling years, students should be required to formally contribute to Australian society."

National service was last introduced in 1964 as a response to "aggressive communism" and "recent Indonesian policies and actions" and a "deterioration in our strategic position". Men aged 20 were required to serve in the army for two years, followed by three years in the reserve.

The policy sparked mass protests and was opposed by the ALP at elections in 1966, 1969 and 1972. One of Gough Whitlam's first actions on being elected prime minister in 1972 was to abolish it.

The federal Labor leader, Kim Beazley, who was exempted from the service ballot during the Vietnam War because he was studying, said last year that any future national service should be "either all in or all volunteers".

Mr Dastyari said the service would be a formal requirement for completing high school and was based on a similar scheme in Sweden. Community bodies such as sports groups, churches or retirement homes would be able to apply to the Government to take part in the scheme.

The plan was adopted unanimously by the 400 delegates at Young Labor's annual conference last year. It will be presented to the party's state and federal conferences this year and if adopted would be incorporated into policy for next year's election.

Young Labor, with more than 5000 members, has previously been at the forefront of changing Labor's policies on mandatory detention and the establishment of the radio station Triple j.

What. the. fuck.

 

[withoutaface]

Hahahahahahhaha and they say young libs are fucked.

 

[iamsickofyear12]

It will absolutely not happen ever.

 

[transcendent]

I like the idea but I doubt it'd work. Think about it, all those prissy girls would do nothing, those try hards would be looting the retirement home. If however it was an option that would raise credibility for students who undertake it in the employment sector it may be of use. This is if there was documentation and accreditation for it with proper backing from the Board Of Studies and Department Of Education. Besides, some schools allow you to join the cadets.

 

[Scanorama]

It will never happen, unless Labor wants to be remain as opposition for the next couple of decades.

 

[erawamai]

Furture leaders of Australia...Young Liberals and Young Labor...brilliant.

 

[walrusbear]

this is a fucking joke

 

[Jiga]

We had to do community service (like help out at special school, community halls etc) when I was in year 11 so it isnt all that out their.

 

[Wolfowitz]

It's just a drive for attention and credibility with older people by YLab. It'll never get off the ground but all middle-aged and elderly people think the youth should be doing more. Have you also noticed that channel 7 is referring to them as the "most popular youth group in Australia"?

Most of the staff were in YLab.

 

[withoutaface]

We had to do community service (like help out at special school, community halls etc) when I was in year 11 so it isnt all that out their.

 

[Jiga]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Schoolies_2004
We had to do community service (like help out at special school, community halls etc) when I was in year 11 so it isnt all that out their.

http://tn3-1.deviantart.com/fs8/300...by_dinyctis.jpg

WTF... what is your point.... spelling.....what? Im confused!

 

[Generator]

WTF... what is your point.... spelling.....what? Im confused!

Look at the list of words running down the side of the picture.

 

[Wooz]

The salvo's now support young labour's plan.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/salvos-back-young-labor-draft-plan/2006/01/06/1136387602382.html

Salvos back Young Labor draft plan

The Salvation Army has backed calls by NSW Young Labor for high school students to contribute to the community through compulsory national service.

"We're fully supporting this initiative," Salvation Army spokesman Pat Daley said.

"There is a growing awareness in the community about the need to assist people who find themselves in difficult circumstances.

"Anything that's going to educate young people about the need to assist the less fortunate is a step in the right direction."

The state branch of Young Labor, the youth wing of the Australian Labor Party, supported mandatory national service for high school students as part of their graduation, the Herald reported today.

President Sam Dastyari said national service would ensure young people contributed to society, but would not necessarily mean they had to do military service or become an army cadet.

"The community service could take many forms, from being an army cadet to helping with chores at the local retirement village," Mr Dastyari told the newspaper.

The plan was adopted unanimously by delegates at last year's Young Labor annual conference.

When national service was last introduced in 1964 all Australian men aged 20 were required to register for two years in the army, followed by three years in the reserve.

Almost 64,000 were conscripted and more than 19,000 served in the Vietnam War.

National service sparked massive protests and was strenuously opposed by the ALP, with Gough Whitlam scrapping it when he was voted in as prime minister in 1972.

 

[Jiga]

Look at the list of words running down the side of the picture.

Well da link doesnt work now

N e way, all I said was that my previous school did it and their were no probs, dunno what the fuss is all about. I didnt mind it personally, community service looks good on your resume (Although if everyone has to do it then that defeats that purpose doesnt it!)

 

[Not-That-Bright]

Oh, this is excellent.

 

[xeuyrawp]

Despite the fact that it's totally impractical in our current situation, I'll add that national service is a hugely sucessful practice in the countries that still have it.

 

[xeuyrawp]

I agree with the idea, but can you imagine australias beloved teenage lebo population doing national service?

No, they would skip it. My brother actually can't go to Italy because he was born there and never served. If he went back, they could legally force him to do the year's service.

Lucky I wasn't born in Sweden, otherwise I'd have to do the same.

 

[The Nick]

I think when I left Young Labor (and the ALP proper) I must have taken all the brains, or at least political nous, with me.

- They're not advocating military service, just "community" service, which people who wanted to join the military may want to do. HOWEVER, given the obvious twist that the media was going to put on it ("Young Labor does a backflip from moratoriums to supporting the draft"), whomever released this is an idiot.

- People don't like being forced to do things. The notion that community service should be a part of one's studies has merit. No matter how beneficial it would be though, unless the country were facing invasion, people will dislike compulsory service.

- Volunteer work will be of a better quality than that done under compulsion, as volunteers have chosen to do the work.

- Community service programs already exist.

- How many Young Labor members would actually undertake this type of community service that they want to force people to do. Some of them are genuinely concerned with making a difference. Unfortunately, most of them, especially the leaders, are interested in their own petty power squabbles and name calling between factions.

- Isn't this the point of the Duke of Ed program, that people who want to get experience and serve the community can be recognised? I know there's no army involved, but still.

- How long before a "national service" member gets shipped off to Iraq and killed? Or more probably, comes under attack while helping rebuild a settlement in Indonesia, or the Pacific Islands. Nice one, Young Labor.

 

[sarevok]

ahahahahaha

ahahahahahaha

As if we needed more proof that Young Labor is made up of idiots.

 

[The Nick]

ahahahahaha

ahahahahahaha

As if we needed more proof that Young Labor is made up of idiots.

As opposed to the slimey, greedy, self-centred, pathetic daddy's-boys excuses for human beings that constitutes the Young Libs?

Sure Young Labor has some idiots, but they're otherwise nice enough. I've never felt the need to take a shower or wash my eyes after being around them... shame I can't say the same about the Young Libs.