Indigenous Affairs Minister backs Gladys Berejiklian’s anthem change, but Matt Canavan opposed
Gladys Berejiklian’s proposed change to the national anthem has the support of Indigenous leaders, but Queensland Senator Matt Canavan says removing “young” tarnishes our “ancestors”. VOTE IN OUR POLL
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Indigenous Affairs Minister Ken Wyatt has backed calls to change one word in the national anthem but a Coalition colleague savaged the proposal for “tarnishing” our ancestors.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian ignited debate over the change yesterday by proposing the anthem should declare “we are one and free,” rather than “young and free”.
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NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s push to change national anthem lyrics
Mr Wyatt supported Ms Berejiklian’s argument that the change would better recognise indigenous history as it would remove the notion that Australia is a young country.
He said many indigenous people were “troubled” by the current anthem’s failure to recognise their long history on the land.
“What I like about Gladys is that she is committed to making a real difference to indigenous Australians, And I would support her suggestion on this change,” he said.
However Queensland Nationals Senator Matt Canavan claimed the change would tarnish “our ancestors”.
“We are a young nation. We have old civilisations and we have a rich history over tens of thousands of years but we are a young country,” he told Nine.
“That is an unfortunate tarnishing of our forefathers and foremothers,” he said.
He later told Sky News that he did not have a problem if other changes were made to recognise indigenous Australians.
“Let’s add to our history rather than try to take it away,” he said.
“I think … some of those suggesting this change have actually got a wider agenda here that is seeking somehow to tarnish the authors of our anthem by saying somehow by just using the word ‘young’ they were seeking to denigrate our indigenous history.
“I don’t think that is right at all, I think it is a reference to the fact that we don’t have the ethnic, tribal historical hang ups that many other countries have in the world.
“We should cherish, protect and celebrate that.”
Indigenous leader and Chairman of the Australian indigenous Education Foundation Warren Mundine said singing the words “for we are one and free” would be more uniting.
“It would remind us that, as Australians, we’re one nation and we’re one people,” he said.
“Some people don’t like the lyrics that Australians are “young and free”, saying it overlooks the millennia Aboriginal nations have existed on the continent.
“Personally, I don’t feel this way. As a nation Australia is relatively young, being founded in 1901 at Federation.”
He said the anthem had been changed in 1984 to be more inclusive by changing the reference to “Australia’s sons” to “Australians all”.
“If that was controversial at the time, it’s not now. It was a small change that made the national anthem more uniting.”
Mr Mundine said he would also like the anthem to be sung in both English and in the local Aboriginal language where it is performed.
