When the Defence Amendment Act of 1983 was passed, establishing the Board for Religious Objection, it soon became obvious that information and help was required by conscripts who were largely ignorant of the Act. They did not know whether they were eligible as religious objectors or how to apply to the Board. For the vast majority, who were not eligible, help was needed in deciding how to cope with their situation under the Act.
People from the Conscientious Objectors Support Groups began establishing informal information and counselling services in various regions. In subsequent years these services were co-ordinated into a loosely-knit national organisation, the Conscription Advice Service (CAS).