A WHITE AUSTRALIAN

 

Every time you turn around in Australia these days, whether you are at a sporting event, a citizenship ceremony or even a political rally, the song written by the Seekers’ Bruce Woodley, I Am Australian, is belted out as a celebration of what we Australians are ‘truly’ about. I suspect that the Australia that many of the hyper-patriots who sing this sing are dreaming about is more closely reflected in the following lyrics:

 

(to be sung to I Am Australian whenever you are surrounded by those singing the original lyrics)

 

I’m a convict on a tall ship

I’m sailing ‘cross the earth

I was sent from the Old Bailey

to effect a nation’s birth

They told me there was no-one here

That wasn’t true when I’d begun

but I fixed that pretty quickly

‘cause I am Australian

 

With a gun and with a semi

We’ve got all the land under our thumb

We share a dream but it’s not your choice

I am pure, a white Australian

 

I landed at Gallipoli

shooting guns and firing bombs

and when I was blown off Anzac Cove

I blamed it on the Poms

Though many different nations

were all fighting there as one

I don’t ever mention them

‘cause I am Australian

 

With a gun and with a semi

We’ve got all the land under our thumb

We share a dream but it’s not your choice

I am pure, a white Australian

 

I’m a settler on selection

surrounded by black men

so I sent them to the gaolhouse

and they’ve stayed there since then

but if supporting native rights

means watching Cathy run

then for less than fifty seconds

I am Australian

 

With a gun and with a semi

We’ve got all the land under our thumb

We share a dream but it’s not your choice

I am pure, a white Australian

 

I gave voting rights to women

I let them have their say

Because women can do anything

For around about half pay

but there’s no war of the sexes

and if there was, I must have won

because Germaine Greer’s not coming back

I am Australian

 

With a gun and with a semi

We’ve got all the land under our thumb

We share a dream but it’s not your choice

I am pure, a white Australian

 

I’m a true, fair dinkum bushie

I’ve never lived outback

I’m an equal to my brothers

and my brother is never black

And though we’re all united

whenever I want something done

Just shut up ‘til I need you

‘cause I am Australian

 

With a gun and with a semi

We’ve got all the land under our thumb

We share a dream but it’s not your choice

I am pure, a white Australian

 

Daniel Viles (5 May 2003)

 

 

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