Push to change Australia’s national anthem lyrics by adding new verses

There has been a renewed push to change the lyrics of Australia’s national anthem again by adding two new, more inclusive verses.

There has been a renewed push to alter the current Australian national anthem, with a group pushing for the inclusion of two new verses to the song.

Not-for-profit group Recognition in Anthem is calling for the new verses, titled ‘Our People’ and ‘Our Values’, to be added to Advance Australia Fair to better represent Australia’s Indigenous history.

The group already achieved a win earlier this year when the second line of the anthem was changed from “For we are young and free” to “For we are one and free”.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison made the announcement on New Year’s Eve in 2020, with the change applying from January 1, 2021.

Now Recognition in Anthem want to “finish the job” and take the next step in recognising Australia’s Indigenous heritage.

There is a push to change Australia’s national anthem to better celebrate Indigenous Australians. Picture: iStock

“Our quest is quite simple – to make the song whole and finish the job that we started, including verse two, which talks about our peoples, and verse three, which talks about our values,” Chairperson Peter Vickery told The Sydney Morning Herald.

Under the proposal, the first verse of the anthem would remain the same, with the “one and free” change still applying.

The second verse would be changed to have more of a focus on recognition and reconciliation of our First Peoples.

The Recognition in Anthem website states this verse would “celebrate our people” and serve to “embrace Australia’s multicultural society”.

A third verse would also be added, focusing on some of Australia’s core values.

The group describes these values as “respect for our First Peoples and our multicultural society, mateship, resilience, a fair go and the precious freedom provided by the rule of law and our democracy to make peaceful and positive change for the better”.

‘Advance Australia Fair’ 2.0 lyrics

Verse 1 – Our Country

Australians all let us rejoice

For we are one, and free

We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil

Our home is girt by sea

Our land abounds in nature’s gifts

Of beauty rich and rare

In history’s page, let every stage

Advance Australia Fair

In joyful strains then let us sing, Advance Australia Fair.

Verse 2 – Our People

For sixty thousand years and more

First peoples of this land

Sustained by Country, Dreaming told

By song and artist’s hand.

Unite our cultures from afar

In peace with those first here

To walk together on this soil

Respect for all grows there.

From everywhere on Earth we sing, Advance Australia Fair.

Verse 3 – Our Values

In times of drought and flood and fire

When all but hope is gone

Australians join with helping hands

And wattle blooms again.

Tomorrow may this timeless land

Live for our young to share

From red-rock heart to sun-filled shore

Our country free and fair.

Beneath the Southern Cross we sing, Advance Australia Fair.

Beneath the Southern Cross we sing, Advance Australia Fair.

ScoMo: ‘Change reflects our national story’

When announcing the change to the second line of the national anthem last year, Mr Morrison said switching the word “young” for “one” was a way to better reflect the unity within Australia.

“During the past year, we have showed once again the indomitable spirit of Australians and the united effort that has always enabled us to prevail as a nation. It is time to ensure this great unity is reflected more fully in our national anthem,” Mr Morrison said.

“Also, while Australia as a modern nation may be relatively young, our country’s story is ancient, as are the stories of the many First Nations peoples whose stewardship we rightly acknowledge and respect.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the change to the lyrics at the end of 2020. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman

“In the spirit of unity, it is only right that we ensure our national anthem reflects this truth and shared appreciation.

“Changing ‘young and free’ to ‘one and free’ takes nothing away, but I believe it adds much. It recognises the distance we have travelled as a nation.

“It recognises that our national story is drawn from more than 300 national ancestries and language groups and we are the most successful multicultural nation on earth.

“It reaffirms our resolve as one of the world’s oldest democracies, while honouring the foundations upon which our nation has been built and the aspirations we share for the future.

“‘One and free’ is and must be the story of every Australian, and it’s the way we truly Advance Australia Fair.”

The slight change to the anthem’s lyrics was backed by politicians from both major parties.

Former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian voiced her support, saying it was time “the tens of thousands of years of the First Nations people” in Australia were recognised in the national anthem.

“Recognising all of our key parts of our society is critical. And I think if we say, ‘We’re one and free,’ it acknowledges that we’re not really young as a continent. We’re tens of thousands of years old when it comes to human inhabitants,” she said in November 2020.

“Respect is important. Inclusiveness is important.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Australia should be united as one nation, regardless of “race, colour or creed”.

“I have no problem with changing the wording to ‘one’ if it will unite our nation,” she said.