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"God save our gracious queen! Long live our noble queen! God save the queen!"
The lyrics haven't been part of Australia's national anthem since the 1980s but the Australian Republic Movement is deploying them as part of a new, Australia Day-timed campaign seeking to convince people that having the British monarch as head-of-state "doesn't sound right anymore".
A controversial new ad for Australia Day from the Australian Republic Movement highlights the absurdity of having the British monarch as the countryâs head of state.
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A controversial new ad for Australia Day from the Australian Republic Movement highlights the absurdity of having the British monarch as the countryâs head of state.
A 50-second ad – to be broadcast and promoted online – depicts Australians of many backgrounds attempting to sing God save the Queen without a whole lot of success.
Concluding with an appeal for Australians to "declare your independence" in an online petition, the campaign is part of a comprehensive ARM rebrand, which has seen the organisation embrace green-and-gold colours and switch to "Republic" from the former "Republican" in their name.
The Queen talks to Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in 2015. Photo: Getty Images
"This is Australia. We are Australians. And our national head of state should be an Australian. There's no credible argument against that," ARM national chair Peter FitzSimons said.
"We respect the Queen for her lifetime of service, and we'd love to have her over for a cuppa to oversee the transition to an Australian republic with an Australian as our head of state."
The Queen accompanied by then Australian prime minister Julia Gillard in 2011. Photo: Andrew Meares
While still the anthem of Britain, God save the Queen ceased being Australia's in 1984, when it was replaced by "Advance Australia Fair". The grand, imperial tune does remain Australia's "royal anthem", played at ceremonies attended by a member of the royal family.