Backlash as Yarraville West Primary School students sing alternative national anthem

The Premier has been urged to intervene over a primary school’s decision to sing a revised Indigenous anthem at assembly instead of Advance Australia Fair.

Yarraville West Primary School pupils have been singing an alternative national anthem. Picture: Liam Beatty.

Primary school students in Melbourne’s west have been singing an alternative Indigenous national anthem, in a move that’s been slammed as “confusing” for children.

The revised anthem was written by Seekers star Judith Durham, along with Indigenous singer-songwriter Kutcha Edwards and others.

Yarraville West Primary School has been singing the new version of the anthem, created by community group Dulwich Centre, at assemblies for six months.

The alternative anthem has the same music but different lyrics. The opening words of the song are changed to: “Australia, celebrate as one, with peace and harmony.”

Judith Durham wrote the revised anthem. Picture: Nicki Connolly

The lyrics include the lines: “Our precious water, soil and sun, grant life for you and me. Our land abounds in nature’s gifts to love, respect and share, And honouring the Dreaming, Advance Australia Fair.

“With joyful hearts then let us sing, Advance Australia Fair. Australia, let us stand as one, upon this sacred land.”

Some families have expressed anger at students singing the wrong anthem, saying their children did not know Australia’s official anthem.

Parents complained their children were unable to sing the national anthem at sporting events.

“It’s important that children learn the correct anthem,” one said.

“They should be proud of being Australian and confusing them … is not the answer.”

The alternative Indigenous anthem mentions sacred land. Picture: Getty

Ms Durham said in 2015 that she hoped the new lyrics would be “an inspiring unifying force”.

However, Institute of Public Affairs deputy executive director Daniel Wild said the alternative anthem was “an appalling example of activism and division being forced upon our students”.

“Our national anthem is a uniting force in our society, as it speaks to all Australians ­regardless of their background,” he said. “But, yet again, we are witnessing the activists and elites in our society trying to divide us.

“Of course, students should be singing our national anthem and paying respect to our flag. The Premier must immediately pull this school into line.”

An Education Department spokesman said it was working with Yarraville West Primary School’s leadership team “to ensure the appropriate use of the national anthem in school events”.

It comes after a new curriculum for Australia’s childcare centres was accused last week of turning toddlers into cultural and environmental activists and ignoring the role of parents.

Earlier this year, it was found that more than half of the 2024 VCE English texts promoted radical identity politics and only six of the 36 were from the classic Western canon.

The IPA analysed the reading lists compiled by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority for the state’s 60,000 English students doing VCE.