Australia changes national anthem to recognize its indigenous past; 'young & free' no more

Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison made a historic move on Friday and announced that the government will remove a reference to the country being “young and free” in their national anthem. The surprising decision was welcomed by the Australian Government, which was announced on New Year’s Eve, but called on Morrison to preserve an Indigenous voice to Parliament in the constitution. PM Morrison said he hopes the change will create a "spirit of unity".

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"Australia as a modern nation may be relatively young, but our country's story is ancient, as are the stories of the many First Nations peoples whose stewardship we rightly acknowledge and respect," Morrison reportedly wrote in an opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald.

'Changing 'young and free' to 'one and free' takes nothing away'

He added, "In the spirit of unity, it is only right that we also now acknowledge this and 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." He also said the change celebrated the unity Australia formed during the coronavirus pandemic.

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The change comes less than two months after New South Wales state Premier Gladys Berejiklian expressed support for Indigenous Australians who said the national anthem did not reflect them and their history.

This symbolic change is the first to Advance Australia Fair since 1984, and means it will now begin with “Australians all let us rejoice / For we are one and free”. Advance Australia Fair was composed by Peter Dodds McCormick and first performed in 1878. It was adopted as the national anthem in 1984.

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Indigenous former world boxing champion Anthony Mundine on Friday called the new change as not "good enough" adding that the country must "scrap the song and start fresh with bit of black history and white history."

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On December 2020, Australia's national rugby team, the Wallabies, became the first sporting team to sing the anthem in an Indigenous language before their match against Argentina.

(With Agency Inputs)