(quote) On the other hand, if Sir Ninian Stephen said the verse could be sung in a church, this would be an instance of a Governor-General, and former High Court judge, giving advice that was incorrect. (end quote)

Why is this advice incorrect?

A lot of the national anthem is unnecessary.

I reckon if we just the leave the good part, and strip out all the unnecessary overburden, it will look like this:

"Girty girty girty girt-girt-girt-girt, girty girty girty girt-girt-girt-girt-girt, girty girt-girt, girty girt-girt girt girt girt girt"

(big breath, patriotic fervour, chest swells, eyes spout blood):

"Giiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirt."

Anyone willing to sing that dirge without being compelled or paid for it deserves a medal, one off a Wheaties packet.

They are welcome to insert whatever verses they like as long as I don't have to listen to it.

'The ongoing Christian undermining of Australia’s National Anthem, creating two Australias, one for public consumption on occasions when Christian versions would be seen to be politically inappropriate '

what a Christophobic rant. We have Christians wanting to sing praises to the Creator and Max along with his unrational team offended by it. Don't worry about the Isis flag being hung out in Sydney or those wanting to behead you as an infidel Max, just bang on about kids rightly acknowledging their source of blessing. How pathetic! Max is the kind who would vote against national security laws stopping beheadings but make it an offense for school children to acknowledge their Creator.

JKJ:
Who would have thought you had a sense of Humor! Wrap your laughing gear around that and Girt that into you.
Who is doing what to our national Anthem?
How dare they!
Waltzing Matilda is just fine just as it is thank you!
And his Girst may be heard as you pass (by) that billy bong?
Rhrosty.

-> Australia’s secular National Anthem is being undermined <-

How wonderful! How refreshing!

Down with secular nationalism!

The author, on understanding that his paradigm wouldn't stand the test of free choice, wants singing songs like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SkqDMumyLU to be made illegal, but though it was not his intention, I thank him for bringing forth this song (which by-the-way isn't Christian).

I will copy and cherish those excellent words by Robin Sharwood, most fit and proper!

---

Dear Rhrosty,

Yes, Waltzing Matilda would be more authentic about the Australian spirit than the government's-propaganda anthem which we have now. At least it wouldn't propagate deception such as "we've boundless plains to share", or that we are supposedly young and free...

Nevertheless, while I enjoy singing Waltzing Matilda, Sharwood's version provides more inspiration and purpose.

Onthebeach I agree with you, who knows the words anyway, it is a horrible National Anthem, it makes me cringe every time I hear it, still it is 100% better than the previous "God save the Queen" why should God save an extremely wealthy old woman any more than the poorest person on the planet. Give me "I still call Australia home" a feeling of patriotism comes in when sung, and that is what we want, especially now

Ojnab,

Agreed.

Perhaps limit 'The Dirge' (Gough is to blame for it) to those pretentious formal political occasions and "I still call Australia home" for everything else.

I reckon that sporting bodies should take the initiative. They would if it was up to the players and spectators, but alas, sporting officialdom are so often stuffed shirts like the pollies.

I like to sing this third verse of "God Save the Queen"

"God grant that Marshall Wade,
Shall by Thy almighty aid,
Victory Bring.
May he sedition crush,
And like a torrent rush,
Rebellious Scots to crush,
God save the Queen."

on appropriate occasions of course.

GStQ is still the Royal Anthem of the Monarchy of the Commonwealth of Australia.

I wonder if Max has an issue with the Indigeneous flag being used on many official occasions?

Once more we are being harassed by a lunatic fringe whose numbers are bloated by a perverted census question. How "traditional" are their fantasies, how historical how time-honoured their delusional rantings when measured against the 50,000 years of indigenous pagan/animist beliefs? How secure is their claim to a christian society when the laws by which we govern ourselves have their origins in the ancient Graeco-Roman pagan/animist/polytheistic civilisations?

Christianity itself is a selective plagiarism of just about every religion to be found in the Mediterranian/Middle Eastern regions from earliest times. It is an upstart, a johnny-come-lately in human intellectual attempts to make some sense of Nature's indifference, to transmogrify indifference into benevolence.

This is a polite request to the religiously afflicted that they cease their obsession to infect all of society with their palsey. There's just too much at stake here. Johnathan Swift observed; "You can't reason someone out of something they weren't reasoned into." So just cease because it would really be the best thing to do.

Extropian1

Well said.

We have Gough to thank for the current anthem, the 4 choices were sung at schools throughout the year leading up to the decision, and by far the most popular was 'Waltzing Matilda'. But once again the popular vote was turned over for the most jingoistic and hence we now sing Advance Australia - Backwards. So much for 'democracy'.

Well may we say... "Football, meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars" because nothing has saved Holden cars, meat pies are now a hollow remnant of what they once were, and football (whatever code you follow) is full of over-paid drug addicts. The only thing left is poor old Skippy, laying at the side of the Pacific Highway after being clobbered by a Toyota Lancruiser saying..."Oh what a feeling...! "

Those Holden cars and the Chrysler Valiants are still out there in the midden heaps where old cars are dumped when they run out of oil. Sacred sites of the future? With those glistening broken bottles with the blue or green labels to light the way.

Question: Is Julie Anthony the only person in Australia who actually knows the words of Advance Australia Fair, or could her cue cards be made available to all present when she sings, so their lips might go closer to moving in unison?

I will not ask if Julie A is the only person who can sing it. The answer is obvious. Although even her delightful, trained voice cannot soften the harshness of 'girt' and 'toil'.

Christianity itself is a selective plagiarism of just about every religion to be found in the Mediterranian/Middle Eastern regions from earliest times

Extropian1

great to be so ignorant and blind

We've sung this as a third verse in our churches:

With Christ our head and cornerstone,
We'll build our Nation's might.
Whose way and truth and light alone
Can guide our path aright.
Our lives, a sacrifice of love
Reflect our Master's care.
With faces turned to heaven above
Advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing
Advance Australia fair!

Max, if you want to limit the freedoms of Aussies to sing whatever lyrics we want, you can just shove it up your jumper. I've never read an article on OLO so miserly and mean spirited.

Albie,
I agree wih you that we were railroaded by the pollies of the day into accepting Advance Australia Fair. I think most people would have preferred Waltzing Matilda as the new anthem.

Can't see a problem with alternate lyrics being used as a hymn in churches... it is not as though they are being presented as 'The National Anthem' in situations subject to protocol.

Besides, the next thing you know there will be attempts to ban us singing Advance Australia Fair lyrics to the theme tune of 'Gilligan's Island'.

[to quote Galaxy Quest's Mathesar, "Those poor people."]

Don't blame Gough Whitlam, he was certainly in favour of the song but Malcolm Fraser and Bob Hawke had the responsibility.

"In January 1976 the Fraser government reinstated "God Save the Queen" for royal, vice-regal, defence and loyal toast occasions as well as making plans to conduct a national poll to find a song for use on ceremonial occasions when it was desired to mark a separate Australian identity. This was conducted as a plebiscite to choose the National Song, held as an optional additional question in the 1977 referendum on various issues. "Advance Australia Fair" received 43.29% of the vote, defeating the three alternatives, "Waltzing Matilda" (28.28%), "Song of Australia" (9.65%) and the existing national anthem, "God Save the Queen" (18.78%).

"Advance Australia Fair", with modified lyrics from the original (see development of lyrics), was adopted as the Australian national anthem on 19 April 1984 by a proclamation by the Governor-General, Sir Ninian Stephen, on a recommendation by the Labor government of Bob Hawke. "God Save the Queen", now known as the royal anthem, continues to be played alongside the Australian national anthem at public engagements in Australia that are attended by the Queen or members of the Royal Family"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_Australia_Fair