Techno Anthem: What the Fuss is Really About

Any change to the dirge that is Australia's National Anthem would be an improvement, in my opinion. Not so according to the Prime Minister, various right wing shock jocks, and Sydney's 'The Daily Telegraph.'

The fuss is about a one minute 'techno' version of Advance Australia fair, to be tacked onto the end of a 17 minute musical score to be played during the Sydney New Year's Eve fireworks display.

Joining the chorus of anthem purists yesterday was the Prime Minister, who declared the short, remixed version planned for New Year's Eve "terrible".

"The national anthem should be sung and played in a way that facilitates maximum audience participation in its singing," John Howard told a Perth radio station. "It is, after all, our national anthem, and I don't think it should be played around with."

Unless, of course, it is the Federal Government, rather than the City of Sydney, doing the playing around.

The former federal Department of Administrative Services sponsored a double CD of 17 different versions of Advance Australia Fair in 1997, including one memorable rendition by the Wiggles. John Farnham, the Seekers and Australian Crawl's James Reyne all had their takes on the CD, which was launched on Australia Day by the then deputy prime minister, Tim Fischer.

And that's the point! It's not about the National Anthem at all. It's about Sydney's Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, and the fact she was elected to the Town Hall instead of preferred candidates the major parties put forward.

To these right wingers, Clover Moore is anathema. She's a person who's more concerned with the people who live and work within the city rather than big business. Someone who got elected to State Parliament and as Sydney's Lord Mayor through grass roots support rather than the party machines. Someone who can't be allowed to succeed because she's not in the mainstream.

The last thing the right wing establishment wants is a bunch of independently minded popular representatives emulating her success.

Clover Moore is under the spotlight, and her every move is being dissected by elements of the media and brought to light in a most negative way.

Hopefully, Clover will study the history of and emulate that other great local government radical, "Red" Ken Livingstone of the London Council. Even Margaret Thatcher couldn't get rid of him.