Simon Townsend is an Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n journalist who became a popular television host during the 1980s. He is currently a tutor in journalism.

Vietnam War Conscientious Objector

In the mid-1960s whilst living in Woy Woy and working as a columnist

Columnist

A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....

 for a community paper

Community paper

Community paper is a term used by publishers, advertisers and readers to describe a range of publications that share a common service to their local community and commerce...

 he became a conscientious objector

Conscientious objector

A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....

 against the Vietnam War

Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

.

He gained national prominence on his anti-conscription stance, he said, "I suddenly decided to be a . . . objector to the Vietnam War. I then went to Sydney, I met people, I joined the groups and I read. And suddenly I had an intellectual basis for my objection to the Vietnam War. And that was when I got very busy, objecting, going to court and I ended up in Long Bay Gaol

Long Bay Correctional Centre

Long Bay Correctional Complex is located in the suburb of Malabar in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Long Bay comprises six institutions, four maximum security and two minimum security.-History:...

 for a month. And in 1968 I ended up in the army prison for a month. I was court-martialled while I was there."

Television Host

Townsend is best remembered in Australia as the host and producer of the popular children's show, Simon Townsend's Wonder World

Simon Townsend's Wonder World

Simon Townsend's Wonder World! was a multi-award–winning Australian children's television show that aired on the Ten Network from 1979 until 1986...

.

Personal life

In recent years Townsend has suffered three stroke

Stroke

A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...

s. In August 2005, he told ABC TV

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...

 he feared the next stroke might kill him.

Townsend is the father of actress Nadia Townsend

Nadia Townsend

Nadia Townsend is an Australian dramatic actress. She is best known for her role in the Channel 7 police drama City Homicide, as Detective Senior Constable Allie Kingston...

, who currently appears on Channel 7's City Homicide

City Homicide

City Homicide was an Australian television drama series that aired on the Seven Network between 27 August 2007 – 30 March 2011. The series was set on the Homicide floor of a metropolitan police headquarters in Melbourne...

.