By political editor Tow Mater in Canberra

Posted 3 hours ago, updated 2 hours ago

Fresh from saving Australia from Armageddon in Glasgow, the Prime Minister yesterday announced the re-establishment of National Military Service, with the call up of all eligible individuals between 12 to 59 years of age.

“In light of, and in response to, the increasing threat of the Chinese within the Asia Pacific region, it behoves us to band together to discourage this scourge.”, he declared yesterday from Canberra yesterday. “No sacrifice is too great”.

Questioned yesterday as to the reasoning behind the re-establishment of such a long-absent scheme, one seen as so unpopular when it was abolished nearly 50 years ago, the Prime Minister seemed bewildered.

“I don’t think the scheme will be unpopular. We have taken our lead from the response to our vaccination program and the currently trending #withfreedomcomesresponsibility”, he responded.

“The Australian people clearly understand their civic duty, accept that we are all in this together, and understand that incursions into individual liberty and the curtailment of rights are a necessary, appropriate and proportional response to existential threats…as defined by us, your leaders.”

“Besides”, he continued, from the steps of Parliament, “Unlike the schemes of last century, this is not compulsory military service, it’s mandatory military service. It’ll be as mandatory as we can make it, but it’s not compulsory”.

“Individuals will have the right not to participate, it’ll just mean that they won’t be allowed to participate in the society that they declined to defend.”

Details accompanying yesterday’s announcement outlined plans to deny the so-called “Conscription Hesitant” the ability to work, use government facilities or mingle in polite society. Whether or not to allow them to receive medical treatment in person, is still undecided and with be discussed further in Cabinet later this week.

“The exact details are unimportant to discuss here, those affected will find out when they next try to use their QR code”, the Prime Minister was at pains to add. “The rest need not concern themselves with it.”

Quizzed about the rationale of including individuals as young as 12, the PM continued to draw on the Covid response for justification.

“In accepting people as young as 12 years of age making their own health decisions outside of parental control, the Australian public has clearly demonstrated a willingness to accept the maturity of these young adults. The freedoms imparted to these individuals come with the clear responsibility to defend them.”

“As for calling up anyone, up and including 59 years of age, no sacrifice is too great to defend the 60+ demographic. Having been raised in times before helmet laws, seat belt requirements and universal health care, such deprivations and risks need to be repaid by society through the provision of a long, comfortable, risk-free, and unimpeded retirement”.

“Besides, such service is only likely to be for two years and staying apart helps keep us together.” He reassured Australians.

Further questioned about the morality of potentially sending such youth to war, he responded simply by saying; “If it saves just one life, it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make”.

Asked for comment, leading industry bodies, NGO’s and not-for-profits all seemed as one in calling it “a proportional and justified response to the greatest threat to Australians since March 2020”.

Initial community trepidation about the announcement was replaced by widespread support when the Deputy Prime Minister later clarified that the initial eligibility for call up would be limited to the ‘unvaccinated’.

Widespread sentiment was largely synonymous with those expressed by vaccinated, unemployed potential rapper, Dylan Mosley (age 25) when he was interviewed by this reporter yesterday afternoon.

“Fuck’em! I’ve done the heavy lifting during the Covid crisis, and these guys did nuffin. ‘Bout time they contributed. Service guarantees citizenship, ya know!”

In response to this latest move by the Australian Government, the Chinese government immediately made representations to the United Nations.

“Plans to enlist the ‘unvaccinated’ represents a clear violation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and would most certainly breach the 1925 Geneva Protocol if such assets were deployed” protested the Chinese Minister for National Defence.