Prime Minister John Howard says the playing of eight bars of God Save The Queen at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony is a "compromise" position, according to a report of 10 March 2006 by The Age
Games organisers resisted calls by ACM, the Prime Minister and others for the playing of the Australian Royal Anthem, in addition to and not in substitution for Advance Australia Fair.
Then organizers announced last week that opera star Dame Kiri Te Kanawa would sing eight bars of the Royal Anthem. They said this had been planned long ago.
Mr. Howard said the controversy had moved on.
"I had a view and I suppose you can say what's come out is a bit of a compromise," he told Southern Cross radio in Melbourne.
Mr. Howard said suggestions in the media that God Save The Queen might have been played instead of the national anthem, Advance Australia Fair, were wrong.
"When Advance Australia Fair was established as our national anthem by (former Prime Minister) Bob Hawke back in 1984 – with our support then in opposition – it was said that when the Queen was present you would play God Save The Queen as well, not in substitution for our own anthem," he said.
ACM had always argued both should be played, although this has been misrepresented by the republican movement as an attempt to replace Advance Australia Fair.
In the meantime, the Reverend Fred Nile has suggested that after The Queen announces that the Games are open, people stand and sing God Save The Queen. Mr. Nile took a key role in the debate to keep the Oath of Allegiance in New South Wales .