The existing National Anthem is completely out of touch, racially insensitive, colonialist, glosses over our shameful immigration & refugee policy record, and fails to represent the ideology or lived experience of the vast majority of the Australian population. Nothing of our national character is illuminated; nothing much worth celebrating is comprehensibly celebrated at all. To me, it smacks of conquering occupiers greedily rhapsodizing over vast natural resources claimed for the crown as spoils of war; indeed offered freely to other pre-approved prospective newcomers! In this light, it's utterly disgusting. To some, I guess, it has served it's purpose, but it's widely now a source of embarrassment, derision and division at worst; ambivalence or apathy at best. It falls short by a long shot of living up to what a national anthem should be.

Conversely, "Big Balls" is an Australian classic by Australian legends who've contributed enormously, for decades, to our stellar international rock reputation and famously lucrative Aussie music industry. This song, as our anthem, would highlight our uniquely Australian brand of tongue-in-cheek humility; the empathetic relating with the underdog, the cutting down of tall poppies and our preference for smart, sarcastic understatement. Our laconic, subversive, larikin sense of humour shines through. It's endearingly cheeky, it's ironic, it's a little rough around the edges; it is iconically Australian. I don't suggest it with a mind to address any of the social issues raised by our current anthem, (that would be far too high a bar) but to serve other purposes entirely. Sharing music, humour and good times are, to me, profoundly virtuous pursuits in their own rights.

Aussie rock is a legitimate contributing factor to the fabric of our society; to the stuff that binds us. It is a unifier across socioeconomic divides. No matter where we grew up; where we went to school, we all have unforgettable formative moments to which AC/DC or some other great Australian rock band provided the soundtrack. This, after all, is what a country's anthem should ideally be: a unifier.

Imagine it underplaying the formality of the most formal black tie occasion; or playing as our athletes accept medals at Commonwealth & Olympic games (not to mention countless other sporting endeavours). Audiences everywhere would wait excitedly for Australia's song to play, smirking and nudging each other, then happily sing along in full voice. It would be a highlight rather than the dull, uninspiring formality it is today. It has always struck me as such an obvious choice. It's perfect! I hope you agree, and sign your name. Let's make this happen!