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Should school leavers do compulsory civil service?


A Labor MP has called for high school leavers to undertake a compulsory 12 months of civil service to tackle future disasters.


Labor backbencher Mike Kelly has called for a national Civil Defence unit and suggested members receive a tax-free daily income.


He said employers should be legally bound to release them from work, and that those involved in the scheme should receive refresher training annually - up until the age of 40.

"I have been particularly struck by the ageing of the volunteers," Kelly wrote on his Facebook page.

"The bottom line is we need younger people getting on board along with much higher numbers generally."


Kelly said the other option could be a "Gap Year" system, offering to pay individual HECS or VET fees for members.


"If this doesn’t deliver the response required we may need to prepare for the idea of re-instituting a non-military National Service scheme," he said.


"This would require all High School graduates to be absorbed into the CDC on leaving school for perhaps a one year period, after which they would be required to render service as required and attend refresher training annually up until the age of 40, after which continuing service would be voluntary."


The suggestion comes as Prime Minister Scott Morrison signaled he's willing to sacrifice a federal budget surplus in response to the bushfire crisis gripping the country.


There have been at least 22 fatalities and more than 1600 homes lost this bushfire season, with victims pleading with Morrison for more support on the ground.


The PM pledged on Monday a $2 billion relief package to be injected into a national bushfire recovery fund over the next two years.

Morrison said the surplus was "no focus" of his and emphasised he'd meet whatever cost necessary to help Australians get "back on their feet".

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