RESTRICTIONS DOWN UNDER

During World War II the Australian Government took control of many aspects of Civilian Life. These controls included restrictions on what people could say read and do. The Government even had the power to tell them what job they could have.

RATIONING

Most goods were in short supply during the war, as substantial supply of food and clothing were needed for the troops so they could continue fighting.

A system of rationing was introduced by the government, which restricted the goods they were able to buy as well as the quantity.Everyone was given a ration book and things were bought using coupons.

CENSORSHIP

Within days of the Australian Declaration of War against Germany, the Australian Government introduced censorship about what could be said of news on the radio and in the press and these restrictions applied for most of the war.

A Department of Information was set up and, for the next six years, Australians were told only what the Government wanted them to know. The Government believed this would prevent misleading stories.

DRILLS AND DEFENCE

IN ADDITION TO THESE GOVERNMENT CONTROLS:

• Beaches were lined with barbed wire, except for a path to the water which was locked at night.
• Windows in towns and cities had to be blacked out to prevent enemy planes seeing them from the air, so each house had a curfew
• In Sydney every second light had the globe removed
• Street Signs or Identification Signs were taken down and swapped so the enemy was confused

The Government believed that the controls were necessary to defend Australia and support our military forces who were doing the fighting.

The Government also appealed to a sense of patriotism and this was another important reason most of the population supported these wartime controls.