The Australian Rugby League Commission has shown leadership by deciding not to play the Australian national anthem before the All Stars fixtures.
While some supported this act of leadership, many are in opposition.
And ahead of the games this weekend, I want to understand this opposition.
This issue arose during the same fixture last year, when Indigenous All Stars captain Cody Walker stood silent as ‘Advance Australia Fair’ played.
Then, leading into the State of Origin series, several players confirmed they would not sing, as they did not feel that the song represented them.
Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
The players did not try to draw attention to themselves, they were merely responding to questions from the media.
Some might say that some sections of the media have used this issue to generate negative publicity about certain players. But additionally, perhaps it’s only because the media notices that some of the players weren’t singing the anthem that we have the opportunity as a game to have a real conversation.
For former Australian Jillaroo Katrina Fanning, the way some of the media have reported on this issue suggests that they are trying to use this issue as “to try and keep our athletes in their place and to not speak about anything but football”.
“That is a really shallow view and one that is decades behind where most of the game is at,” the member of the NRL Indigenous Council says.
“What relevance does the national anthem have to this exhibition game? This game is an opportunity for cultural expression as much as football expression.”
For me, the anthem has no relevance to this match, whether you take the time to understand the feelings many Indigenous Australians share about the words.
This fixture does not feature an Australian national team and while there may be protocol about what needs to happen once the national anthem is played, there is little about when it needs to be played.
Rugby league not only celebrates the contribution of Indigenous players, but additionally works with these players to make sure that they are supported.
Fans also celebrate these wonderful athletes, like Preston Campbell, Latrell Mitchell and Greg Inglis.
Inglis’ ‘goanna’ post-try celebration was iconic, and the way it was received is a credit to our game and the diversity that is such a key part of it.
Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images
But here’s the catch.
We can’t pick and choose when we want to celebrate our athletes’ heritage and culture. We can’t applaud the ‘goanna’ and then be completely dismissive when Indigenous athletes try to explain to us why the national anthem is a source of angst.
Fanning makes the point succinctly:
“Our players are Aboriginal on and off the field. They have the right to speak on topics other than football and they inspire people to do more than just play football.”
Let’s take this opportunity to grow and learn. To listen and understand.
To hear our players when they explain why the national anthem does not represent them and, in particular, the original words to the song which had strong links to the White Australia policy and the concept of Terra Nullius.
“I want an anthem that brings us together with a great sense of pride about who we are and what’s in our future. This doesn’t do it for me. This is looking backward, not forward,” Fanning says.
I want the same thing too.
Rugby league is a leader when it comes to social change, as evidenced by the support given to the introduction of same-sex marriage and that moment when Macklemore sang ‘Same Love’ at the NRL grand final.
Let the absence of the anthem be another opportunity for the game to show leadership.
ppa19696837
Roar Rookie
I have absolutely no idea what purpose a song about a piece of dirt that sit on a tiny spec that floats around an infinite universe actually serves? Seriously, think about it...it's the most ridiculous thing. Why don't we have a state anthem or a local council anthem..how about one for my suburb!!!! What am I missing here??
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
It’s easy to get stuck in the past, but it won’t change anything.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Easy to say when your past is all hunky dory More difficult when your past is full of genocide and systematic abuse and you’re expected to sing a song that celebrates it Changing the words or the song isn’t much. But it’s a start. You talk about fixing all the big things but you won’t even CONSIDER changing the words to a song Anyway, it’s typical. You get caught out talking out of your backside and change the argument...
clipper
Roar Rookie
They regularly have Wales Vs England, Scotland Vs Ireland in Great Britain - never heard any gasps of disgust about that.
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: possibly it is my age Big D but I tried watching the show and lasted about 35 seconds…..
Big Daddy
Guest
Why spoil good vigorous debate by bringing his name up. But your right he is a Wally.
Zak
Roar Rookie
I really enjoyed this story Mary. I ageee with every word you wrote. THANKS
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
No thanks I never watch any of that stuff anyway and who is Waleed Wally anyway
Nick
Roar Guru
ND - why are you continuing to like posts that are consistently opposing and refuting your position?
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
"All they do is upset half the country." Proof please. "Theres a hundred things I’d change to benefit indigenous Australians before the anthem. But y know, that stuff is hard and takes time." So you won't consider an easy thing - you want to go straight to the hard stuff. And what are they? "I dont need to know these guys background. I can tell by what they think is important they dont know a damn thing." The arrogance and ignorance in this statement is breathtaking.
Chris.P.Bacon
Guest
"I always got straight A’s." ....aye you, get out of my class! ; aye, do I have to fail you again? ; aye, don't make me come back there young man..... :laughing:
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Really? Look through all the news shows on all the commercial channels, including main prime time news, late night news, morning shows etc and tell me how many non-whites you see. They will be very few and far between. One of the reasons Waleed Aly on the Project was such a big thing, he's about the only non-white guy on a news/current affairs type show on any commercial network in Australia.
The Barry
Roar Guru
...and that distinctive change that was the inspiration for “young and free” involved the genocide and systematic abuse and degradation of the indigenous people Yet you question why those same people don’t feel represented by the song that commemorate those events
piru
Roar Rookie
They are "those people". Is this really the hill you want to die on?
Rugbyrah
Roar Rookie
I thought we all are Australians and all have the same anthem. I don't agree we have golden soil or wealth from toil, as the tax man seems to take it away. I am not young. seems like we are not sharing as much of our boundless plains. I don't know what Australia Fair is. Is it a mall? However it is our anthem and by not embracing it is not embracing the unity and heritage we have as a united nation. I may disagree for the choice of anthem and disagree that it is a good anthem, but I embrace it as I am Australian.
Nick
Roar Guru
Fair enough. Greenberg. He still can't answer a simple question asked of him.
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
I wonder if African countries refer to their 200,000 years of history? They've been around a lot longer than Australian Aborigines. Changing the words to a song is not progress; it's feel-good tokenism that achieves nothing. Australia's obsession with the past is what's holding it back from the future.
Objective
Guest
At least he can spell the guy's surname correctly.
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
So you agree that it's got nothing to do with Aboriginal people; so why do people find it insulting? Of course, you know as well as I do that most of the other countries you're referring to have had a continuous population and culture much longer than what is essentially nothing more than a name change. Australia, on the other hand, has had a distinctive change that led it to becoming a country.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Advance Australia Fair was written in 1879 so the young and free has nothing to do with federation