Because after Gallipoli there were not enough volunteers to go to the slaughterhouse in Europe.
This was William 'Billy' Hughes.
Many opposed their male family members being forced to fighting a war in Europe which did not threaten Australia.
It divided Australia as in it resulted that there were bitter debates and conflict within society at the time and within the labour government itself. The Australian socity divided into pro conscription and anti conscription. It brought to surface underlying conflicts.
There was no conscription that could force a man to serve overseas. and Australians voted no on this in 1916 and again in 1917. However military training for Australian men aged 18 to 60 had been compulsory since 1911.
The British adopted conscription in 1916 because they wanted to break the stalemate at the Western Front. They believed that if they had more soldiers at the front, the war would end quciker and they would win. Only down side was that the Germans had the exact same plan.
How to Bring Up a Child - 1916 was released on: USA: 22 May 1916
Samuel Smith - Australian politician - died in 1916.
William Johnson - Australian politician - died on 1916-07-30.
Bill White - Australian footballer - was born on 1916-10-06.
Royal Australian Corps of Military Police was created in 1916.
Tom Wright - Australian footballer - died on 1916-12-12.
From March of 1941, according to one website.