AUSTRALIA’S national anthem is disrespectful to Aboriginals, according to south-west resident Geoff Clark.
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The former ATSIC leader the line which states “for we are young and free” is a direct snub to the country’s traditional land owners.
“I was watching the one day test and I saw a Welcome to Country declaring we are 40,000-years-old and straight after that the national anthem played and a line in that says ‘we are young and free’.
“That’s quite a contradiction we are sending the world – on one hand we’re a young country and on the other hand we’re an old country.”
Mr Clark believes Australia needs a new anthem or a correction to that line.
“I think that’s the debate we have to have.”
Mr Clark’s comments come after the Greens flagged plans for a campaign to change the date of Australia Day.
“I think the date is irrelevant – but we need to change the purpose,” he said.
Mr Clark said all Australian cultures should be celebrated on the day. “That would send a message to the world that we’re united,” he said.
He said Australia had made “superficial” steps to a more united country.
“There is a superficial acceptance with smoking ceremonies and Welcome to Country but there are some bigger adjustments required,” he said.
These include greater representation of Indigenous people in all levels of government, including local councils.
Australia Day this year will have special significance to Mr Clark. He will travel to Sydney to mark 30 years since he helped organise a protest march about land rights.
Warrnambool City councillor David Owen also supports a more inclusive Australia Day celebration.
He admits that the day is bittersweet.
“I always feel a bit embarrassed,” Councillor Owen said.
“It’s a great day to acknowledge people in our community and it’s extremely important but there is an underlying sense of sadness.”
Cr Owen is passionate about acknowledging the city’s traditional owners and believes more should be done. But he doesn’t support changing the date of Australia Day.
“I’m not fully sure changing the date would get the desired affect, but the massacre sites in and around our city should be marked and we don’t have enough native naming,” Cr Owen said.
He also supports a greater focus on teaching the next generation more about Australian history.
Earlier this week Aboriginal leaders Jason Mifsud and Adeline McDonald said they did not think changing the date of Australia Day would help unite Australians.