Australia made changes in its national anthem

  • The government of Australia announced that it will remove a reference to the country being “young and free” in the national anthem. 

WHY?

  • The move comes weeks after Gladys Berejiklian, the leader of Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales, had urged the country to make changes to its national anthem.
  • The issue was particularly with the line “we are young and free”, which Berejiklian had said dismissed centuries of indigenous history.
  • Critics say the word “young” in second line of the national anthem had implied that Australia’s history only starts with colonisation.
  • The change that takes effect on January 1, is the first amendment to ‘Advance Australia Fair’ since 1984. 
  • Now the lyrics will read: “Australians all let us rejoice/ For we are one and free”.

REACTION

  • The reactions to the change have been mixed across the country.
  • While some indigenous Australians, particularly political leaders, have welcomed the change, there have been others who have criticised it.
  • Some indigenous group argued that the change is merely symbolic which won't make any difference to their living conditions. 

THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

  • Australia's national anthem is ‘Advance Australia Fair'. 
  • It was written in 1878 by the Scottish-born composer Peter Dodds McCormickand. 
  • It became Australia's official national anthem in 1984, replacing "God Save the Queen". 

AUSTRALIA DAY

  • Each year Australians have a national holiday on Jan. 26.
  • It marks the date when the “First Fleet” sailed into Sydney Harbour in 1788, carrying mainly convicts and troops from Britain. 
  • This is known as Australia Day. 
  • Some indigenous people refer to Australia Day as “Invasion Day”.

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