We aim to get World War One anti-conscription posters back onto Melbourne's streets.

In 1916, thousands of Australian men were slaughtered on the battlefields of France during World War 1. The war was increasingly controversial, and fewer and fewer men were volunteering to go. Prime Minister Billy Hughes decided to hold a referendum to allow conscription so that men could be forced to go. However the referendum on 28 October 1916 was defeated.

The street posters of the time show just how fiery the debate was.

For October's centenary of the 1916 referendum, we will print large-scale reproductions of famous anti-conscription posters of the time, and paste them up around Brunswick and Coburg. 

We hope this project will interest Australians and remind them of the divisive and destructive effects of the war on Australian society.  

The Australian government has spent an estimated $552,000,000 commemorating the role of those who served in WW1. However no funding was available to commemorate those who opposed the war, opposed conscription, or proposed conciliation. Those jailed for speaking out at the time included future Prime Minister – and Brunswick resident– John Curtin. 

The Brunswick Coburg Anti-conscription Commemoration Campaign has been formed to remember these people and their campaigns . 

We will print 200 copies of this poster. Militant socialist Tom Barker was jailed for his witty and provocative design, under laws designed to curb criticism of the war. The judge didn't accept Barker's argument – that it was actually a recruiting poster! 

Thanks to artist Rachel Kirby who has prepared the poster for reprinting. We are working with Brunswick-based company Plakkit who print large (A0 sized) posters and paste them up around Melbourne. You'll have seen their music posters on walls and hoardings.

The money pledged will be enough to post at least  200 copies of Tom Barker's poster around Brunswick and Coburg, in the first three weeks of October 2016. 

Let's see if we can double our original target, and add another classic poster: 

The women's vote was crucial in rejecting conscription.

A third option is this one: 

MORE DETAILS:

• Our campaign will use locations where postering is permitted.
• Printing costs for coloured posters are slightly different to B&W, depending on the quantity. 
• If the amount raised is over the target, but not enough to add another design, we will order more of the first design.

Someone could stick a lost cat flyer on our poster. Apart from that, it's pretty straightforward!