In a recent column we asked why a very small number of people have to so publicly demonstrate their unbalanced bitterness and vituperation in advancing their agenda to remove the oldest institution from our constitutional system?
We referred in particular to the letter published in The Sydney Morning Herald on the day after Anzac Day complaining about playing of God Save The Queen in the Dawn Service. He claimed this ruined the service for him.
The Sydney Morning Herald published the following letter on 28 April 2012:
Ian Morris (Letters, April 26) should have attended the dawn service at the Cenotaph instead of his local one. Had he done so, he would have heard the MC explain that God Save the Queen is included in the dawn service because it was the national anthem sung by Australians up to 1984, including all our Diggers.
There are three anthems sung to conclude the service – God Save the Queen – now known as the royal hymn, the New Zealand national anthem and finally our own.
And maybe it is a reflection of the age group present, but from where I was standing it was apparent more people knew the words of God Save the Queen than the second verse of Advance Australia Fair.
Heather Garnsey, Lane Cove NSW