Frank Hyett was one of the most important labour activists in the anti-conscription campaigns. He was particularly prominent during the second referendum, after John Curtin had moved to Western Australia.

Frank Hyett was of a similar age to his friend John Curtin, being just three years older, and had a similar upbringing. When Hyett’s family moved to Brunswick and Coburg they were poor, and supported only by Hyett’s mother (Hyett’s father died while Frank was still a baby). Frank Hyett also left school early to find work, and was drawn into ALP and VSP politics through Frank Anstey’s study circle.

Hyett became an organiser for the Amalgamated Society of Railway Employees in 1910, and soon after helped form the Victorian Railway Union, of which he was General Secretary. Hyett proved to be very successful in these roles. He achieved important industrial outcomes for his members, including the formation of a wages board by the railway service.

He also managed to make the VRU an important part of the anti-conscription campaign. Railway workers became significant fundraisers for the campaign, and the VRU newspaper an important vehicle for anti-conscription articles. The distribution of campaign materials by railway workers was particularly important, given the authorities' attempts to censor and seize such material.

The Victorian Trades Hall was one of the major organisations to oppose conscription, and Hyett had a prominent role on the Council. Through these trade union positions and following John Curtin’s departure to Western Australia, Frank Hyett became one of the most important organisers for the anti-conscription campaign in Victoria, especially during campaigning on the 1917 Conscription Referendum.

Frank Hyett died suddenly after the war in 1919 as a consequence of the 1918-19 Spanish Influenza global pandemic that spread from the military staging camps and claimed some 50 million lives worldwide. Over 5000 people attended his funeral. When his funeral train passed Glenferrie Oval a football match was in progress. The game spontaneously stopped while all at the ground stood in respect for the popular railways unionist, activist and sportsman.