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THE push to make the song I Am Australian the national anthem has been renewed after its emotional rendition at the national day of mourning for bushfire victims.
The internet is abuzz with comments that the song, written by Bruce Woodley and Dobe Newton in 1987, would make a better national anthem than the current one, Advance Australia Fair.
Online encyclopedia Wikipedia lists it as an alternative to Advance Australia Fair and several online petitions call for it to be used as the anthem.
The song was the stand-out moment of the bushfire memorial service on February 22 and its popularity has been given a further boost by Sony's decision to release it as a single to raise money for the fire victims.
But politicians are not keen to have the divisive debate about a new national anthem so soon after the last one ended in 1984.
A spokeswoman for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said: 'The question of the Australian national anthem was settled a long time ago.'
Mr Woodley, a founding member of folk band The Seekers, said he wrote the song for an album of Australian traditional songs and poetry.
Mr Woodley said Aborigines had also embraced it and his dream was for it to one day be adopted as our national anthem.
'Maybe one day, maybe, my dream would be to see it up there as the anthem of the republic of Australia,' he said.
'It's nice to think people think so highly of it.'
Woodley said the most memorable use of the song had been at the national mourning service, where he performed it with his daughter, Claire, and Kinglake survivors David and Merelyn Carter, who are country music singers.
Advance Australia Fair was written by Scotsman Peter Dodds McCormick in 1878.
After years of debate, competitions and a poll on the issue, former prime minister Gough Whitlam announced plans to replace God Save The Queen with Advance Australia Fair in 1974, but it was not proclaimed as the anthem until 1984.
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Mr Whitlam told the Sunday Herald Sun he agreed with the plebiscite of 1977, which found in favour of the current anthem after much debate.
Premier John Brumby agreed, saying that while there was always debate about it, 'we've got a national anthem and by and large it serves us pretty well.' Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard agreed.
Bushfire Press Advance Australia Fair Download Itunes For Windows
'I am Australian is obviously a song that resonates with many Australians and I think that is something to be proud of. However, I think the national anthem is here to stay,' she said.
Music guru Ian 'Molly' Meldrum said while the song fits the moment, 'if we change (the anthem) again it will send out a message that we have no idea what's going on'.
THE ANTHEMS
ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR
Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
We've golden soil and wealth for toil;
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history's page, let every stage
Advance Australia Fair.
I AM AUSTRALIAN
We are one, but we are many
And from all the lands on earth we come
We share a dream and sing with one voice:
I am, you are, we are Australian!
WALTZING MATILDA
Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong,
Under the shade of a Coolibah tree;
And he sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled,
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda,
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me,
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN
God save our gracious Queen
Long live our noble Queen
God save the Queen
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the Queen.
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Originally published asService sparks anthem debate