AN indigenous singer turned down an invitation to sing the national anthem at this year's AFL Grand Final because she was not allowed to change the words. 
University of Melbourne academic and soprano Deborah Cheetham (AO) said she could not sing the words "for we are young and free" and wanted them changed to "in peace and harmony".
She said Australia as a nation was neither young, nor completely free. "We are the oldest continuing culture in the world and we should be valuing that and that is what I would like to see us moving towards," she said.
"Let's be grown up enough to take that on board. As a country we are not free from the ignorance from which racism is born.
"And as a lesbian in a committed 10-year relationship, I am not free to marry." Despite the fact that she is an avid football fan, Ms Cheetham said she had "no regrets" about turning down a chance to sing in front of 90,000 people at the MCG and millions more on TV.
"You have to know when to make a noise and when to be silent," she said. "Singing the anthem would have been a disingenuous thing to do. I love this country and I want to love it even more." Ms Cheetham said she had "no beef" with the AFL.
"They asked me because this has been a year of division and I have no problem with their decision."However, she said it was reasonable for a discussion about changing the national anthem to take place.