While earlier debates about Australia’s involvement in war occurred in the 20th century, none matched the scale of protest seen during the Vietnam War.

The conflict began as a civil war between communist North Vietnam and democratic South Vietnam, but it became part of the broader Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Australia joined the conflict in 1962, with combat troops added later. In 1965, the government introduced conscription, which required young men to serve in the military. Early protests were small, but public opposition grew as more information about the war became available.

Television brought uncensored footage of the war into Australian homes. Reports of civilian casualties, the use of chemical weapons like Agent Orange, and the My Lai massacre in 1969 shifted public opinion dramatically.

A more recent example of protest in Australia is the campaign for LGBTIQA+ rights, particularly the push for marriage equality.

In 2004, the Australian Parliament amended the Marriage Act 1961 to define marriage as “the union of a man and a woman.” This change excluded same-sex couples and sparked a national campaign for equality.

Between 2015 and 2017, public debate intensified. While some countries passed laws supporting marriage equality, Australia held the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey in 2017 to gauge public opinion.

Groups such as Coalition for Marriage supported a ‘No’ vote, while Marriage Equality Australia campaigned for ‘Yes’. The 56-day campaign saw a wide range of public responses, including:

• Boycotts of businesses
• Homophobic advertising
• Satirical songs
• A marriage equality anthem performed at the NRL Grand Final

While some viewed the survey as a unifying moment, others criticised it for causing harm to the LGBTIQA+ community.