Written 2020

This land of broken dreams,
Of plains and deserts wide,
Before mankind knew time
Was rising through the tide.

An ancient people found it,
Crossing over ocean,
Trekking over land-mass
With resolute devotion.

Through eons tribes dispersed
Throughout the ancient earth,
With love of country in their veins,
A bond nourished from birth

They did not conquer country,
Barren or fertile regions.
They learned the lore of living with it.
Then came the British legions.

Let’s live now for the present,
And forgive the brutal past.
Live for fairness, live for justice.
That is all we ask.

Saying sorry doesn’t cut it
When justice is denied.
It’s posturing, pretence, hypocrisy.
Right is on our side.

Others came and had fair dealing.
Let us have fair dealing, too.
Australia is a land of plenty
For the many, me and you.

Let us have a voice that’s heard
On equal terms with white.
You can’t restore our ancient lands,
Or put past wrongs to right,

But you can restore our people’s pride,
Save our despairing young.
Hear the story from our side
Of how this land was won.

Give this land a single emblem,
Not two flags that will divide us.
We are many in our one-ness.
Give us The Southern Cross for justice.

Help us carve our children’s future
With dirt on hands and sweat on brow.
Help with jobs and health and schooling.
These are the things we need right now.