- Anthony Mundine recently participated in the Advance Australia trade show
- Indigenous sports icon says he won’t do it again
- Mundine doesn’t like the song and says he wants to educate people.
Indigenous footballer and boxing great Anthony Mundine recently stood for the national anthem at a charity boxing event, but now says he regrets doing so.
Mundine, 49, who has criticised Advance Australia Fair in the past, was attending a boxing event in Pyrmont last week and decided to stand with the rest of the audience when the national anthem was played.
The sports icon, who had trained some of the boxers at the gala event, says he now regrets the decision.
“I immediately thought I shouldn’t have gotten up,” he said. News Corporation.
‘It was more out of respect for Mario (Tartak), who organized the night and the event.
“I didn’t want to disrespect the organizers of a charity event, but I still got dirty with myself because I’m a leader in this.”
Mundine says he won’t make that mistake again.
“My stance has not changed and I will continue to stand up for what I believe in. It was an awkward slip and I should have stood my ground.
Anthony Mundine (pictured) recently performed the Australian national anthem at a charity event, but says he regrets doing so.
Former boxing champion believes the anthem turns off Australians
‘I’ve done a lot of research, it’s racist and I want to continue educating people.
‘I’ve been strong on this since day one.
“I defend the truth. I want harmony with the people, but the anthem disconnects us.”
In 2021, Mundine criticized Scott Morrison’s “symbolic” change to the national anthem, stating that Advance Australia Fair remains a “white supremacy song”.
At the time, the government changed the second line of the anthem from “young and free” to “one and free,” but Mundine said it needed a total rewrite.
Mundine has been vocal in his criticism of the national anthem over the years.
“For me, it’s a symbolic thing,” Mundine told Daily Mail Australia at the time. He candidly responded “no way” when asked if the change of words was enough.
‘One word isn’t going to change the core meaning of a song! It will always be a white supremacist song until the entire song is rewritten! It’s still not enough!’