Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has revealed he is not opposed to the idea of the national anthem being altered, however thinks Australians need to worried about more pressing, urgent matters.
The minister has spoken out after news travelled that Australian sporting legend Cathy Freeman announced she supported a lyric being changed in the Advance Australia Fair to pay respect to Indigenous Australians.
In the first verse, “we are young and free” would become “we are one and free”.
Minister Dutton told 2GB on Thursday that he was “not opposed” to the change “if that provides more comfort to people”.
He went on to say Cathy Freeman has been one of the “greatest Australians” that has not received enough recognition for the work done helping indigenous kids in her post-sporting career.
“I really think that should be recognised and I think her views should be respected,” he said.
Apart from the national anthem debate however, Dutton says he’d like to focus on improving the lives of indigenous children.
“There are boys and girls who are being sexually assaulted in Aboriginal communities today,” Mr Dutton said.
He also took the opportunity on live radio to make a stab at the athletes and footy players who have refused to sing the national anthem.
“It annoys me beyond description…I think it is an outrage,” he said.
“If you represent our country, you do so on the basis that you are proud and you sing the national anthem.”
Cathy Freeman first established a foundation in her name in 2007 to help indigenous children and their families.
