[2][3] In a 1983 interview, Townsend described the boarding house as "the pits" and bemoaned that they were forced to live with the "dregs of the earth".
[2] On 4 January 1967, Townsend was fined $20 in the Special Federal Court for failing to attend a medical examination for National Service in Sydney on 11 November 1966.
[4] Townsend was served with call-up papers by Commonwealth Police on 11 May 1967 requiring him to report for National Service on 25 May 1967, after his application for registration as a conscientious objector was again dismissed.
[7] On 27 May, Minister for the Army Phillip Lynch admitted that Townsend had been placed on a bread and water diet while held in solitary confinement at Holsworthy Detention Centre.
[8] The army also denies that Townsend was being subject to psychological torture despite being deliberately woken up every half an hour during the night.
"[8][9] In an editorial, The Sydney Morning Herald described the army's actions as "monstrous" and their reasoning as a "flimsy pre-text" for them to implement a well-established Communist technique used to break down political prisoners and force confessions to crimes which they have not committed.
[10] This prompted Phillip Lynch to announce to the House of Representatives on 28 May 1968 that the Military Board had ordered an end to the practice with guards now instructed to look through the cell doors every three hours for welfare checks on prisoners.
"[13][non-primary source needed] For his stance, Townsend received a large amount of hate mail which included white feathers and a bullet with his name scratched on it.
[15] Townsend moved into radio and was appointed producer on the John Laws Morning Show on Sydney's 2UW in February 1978.
[17] In November 1978, Townsend and Ledger were invited by Stan Lee to the United States to discuss the viability of developing Dr. Data into a comic book.
"[23] In September 1992, a two-hour special that Townsend had written and produced called Mystery Forces: Chance and Coincidence went to air on the Seven Network, hosted by Larry Emdur.
Presenters included Edith Bliss (who worked previously on Simon Townsend's Wonder World), and musician James Valentine formerly of the band, Models.
[27][28][29] After he left the program, he vehemently complained about his perceived treatment during appearances on Nine's Midday and Seven's Real Life where he accused the critics of a partaking in a concerted effort to bring him down.