Musical Dispatch from the Front – Advance Australia – February 2026
Frank Baarda
Hola,
With all the fear and loathing and misery spreading and intensifying in the world. With the inexorable ticking of the doomsday clock. I feel almost embarrassed to highlight the woes of the microcosm I live in.
I’ve never forgotten my father telling me that when the fascists in the Germany he grew up in first took part in elections, they got 3% of the vote.
The Northern Territory government, having so comprehensively won the last election, is displaying Trumpist hubris. Almost daily they roll out some new initiative or legislation clearly designed to rub our noses in it.
I quote from a 1st Feb ABC online article:
The sun had not long set on Australia Day when a story popped up on the website of The Australian newspaper.
The headline read: "Northern Territory government mandates national anthem for all school assemblies".
The article announced that students at all NT public schools would be required to sing both verses of the Australian national anthem — in English — at assemblies and special events, under new Country Liberal Party government policy.
A couple of different reasons for the policy were given this week by NT Education Minister Jo Hersey, some more dubious than others.
Along with promoting national pride, the minister said a formalised policy was needed to ensure consistency and pointed to the finer print — that the government wants both verses of the anthem sung at all schools, strictly in English.
Jo Hersey says the aim of the policy is to instil national pride among territory students.(ABC News: Pete Garnish)
Speaking on Sky News on Wednesday, Ms Hersey said singing the anthem in English was important for remote, bilingual Aboriginal schools in order for students to learn English and be able to one day get a job.
I have a request of any Dispatchee who can write music. I’d like someone to write the score of Advance Australia Fair for two-part choir and dog-whistle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvbgTQIWw_4
♫ ♫ ♫ Great Southern Land- Warren H Williams
Shalom,
Frank