Queensland will keep ‘God Save The Queen’

Press, 4 May 1984, Page 20

Queensland will keep ‘God Save The Queen’

NZPA-AAP Caloundra The playing of the Royal anthem, “God Save The Queen,” in Queensland would be protected by state legislation if necessary, says the Premier, Mr Joh BjelkePetersen.

The Cabinet, meeting on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, decided the Royal anthem would be played at all state government functions, in defiance of the recent Federal Government decision to change the national anthem to “Advance Australia Fair.”

Mr Bjelke-Petersen told a news conference after the Cabinet meeting that there was nothing necessarily wrong with “Advance Australia Fair.”

“But this is part of their (the Federal Government’s) plan to clear the decks to

set up a republic,” he said. Mr Bjelke-Petersen was responding to a report that the Federal Government would regard as illegal a playing of the Royal anthem once it had legislated to make “Advance Australia Fair” the national anthem. He said there had been no question put to voters on their ballot papers at the last Federal election on whether “God Save The Queen” should be abolished. “ ‘Advance Australia Fair’ can be played at different times — where there is no official occasion. “They can make 20 laws if they like. You can take a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.”

The Queensland government did not necessarily have to abide by the decisions of the Federal Admin-

istration, said Mr BjelkePetersen.

“We could put in an act in the Parliament covering our state,” he said. Mr Bjelke-Petersen also challenged, as part of the same theme, moves to change the national flag.

“Let them have their red flag with the hammer and sickle on it if they want,” he said.

Mr Bjelke-Petersen said his Government would not necessarily legislate over the anthem, but he said his government would make decisions in relation to what was played at schools and other public places. Asked whether this meant the Royal anthem was to be played at schools, he replied: “Of course we will play it in the schools — what’s wrong with that?”