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Advance Australia Fair strikes a sour note
OUR home is girt by sea. This must rank as one of the worst lines of any national anthem. That Australia is an island should be pretty obvious, but is our anthem girt by a sea of mediocrity?
Advance Australia Fair was written a century ago and it shows. Australians no longer use language such as: "In history's page let every stage advance Australia fair." Maybe we never did. In any event, the centenary of Federation presents an opportunity to have a community discussion about whether our present national anthem is the best we can do.
If, at the end of that discussion, the clear view is that we should stick with what we've got, then at least we have successfully reviewed one of our key national symbols, our statement of national identity.
In anticipation of the argument that a fresh look at the anthem is the thin end of the wedge towards changing the flag or becoming a republic, they are unrelated. Many Australians fought under the flag and would be understandably distressed about changing it.
The case for reviewing our national anthem is strong irrespective of whether Australia remains a monarchy...