Essential Report
Support towards the national anthem change
Q. On January 1st 2021, the second line of Australia’s national anthem changed from, “For we are young and free” to “For we are one and free”.
To what extent do you support or oppose this change?
Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | |||||||||
Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||||
Strongly support | 25% | 27% | 24% | 22% | 31% | 21% | 27% | 28% | 30% | 20% | ||
Somewhat support | 29% | 28% | 29% | 33% | 23% | 30% | 31% | 29% | 36% | 21% | ||
Neither support nor oppose | 30% | 28% | 32% | 32% | 29% | 30% | 29% | 26% | 30% | 28% | ||
Somewhat oppose | 7% | 6% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 7% | 6% | 7% | 3% | 11% | ||
Strongly oppose | 10% | 11% | 8% | 6% | 10% | 12% | 8% | 10% | 2% | 20% | ||
TOTAL: Support | 54% | 55% | 52% | 56% | 54% | 51% | 57% | 57% | 65% | 41% | ||
TOTAL: Oppose | 16% | 17% | 15% | 12% | 17% | 19% | 14% | 17% | 5% | 31% | ||
Base (n) | 1,084 | 539 | 545 | 341 | 358 | 385 | 334 | 431 | 118 | 106 |
- Over half (54%) of Australians support the change in the national anthem’s second line from “For we are young and free” to “For we are one and free” which was implemented at the start of the year. A quarter (25%) strongly support this change.
- Support towards the national anthem change is strongest among Greens voters (65%), followed by Coalition voters (57%), Labor voters (57%) and other voters (41%).
- Those voting for independent and minor parties are the most opposed to the change (31%).

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