What is anthem etiquette?

Anthem etiquette in Australia is the set of expected behaviours when Advance Australia Fair is performed at official occasions. The basic rules apply at citizenship ceremonies, sporting events, school assemblies, military commemorations, and the opening of Parliament.

The most important expectation is to stand when the anthem is performed. Adults remove hats, except for hats worn for religious reasons, and hold them in the right hand against the left shoulder. Members of the Australian Defence Force in uniform salute. Civilians stand quietly facing the source of the music, usually the flagpole or the band, with arms relaxed at their sides. Singing along is encouraged, particularly at sporting events and citizenship ceremonies.

The anthem is normally performed in the original key in English. Most occasions feature only the first verse, with both verses reserved for full ceremonial events at Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial, or international sporting fixtures. When the Royal Anthem (God Save the King) is also played, it usually comes after Advance Australia Fair, and the same standing and removal-of-hats etiquette applies. Foreign anthems are observed with the same respect when played at international fixtures or diplomatic events.

There is no legal requirement to sing or stand for the anthem, and Australians are free to remain seated as a matter of personal or political conscience. Some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, and some sporting figures including Adam Goodes and Lance Franklin, have at different times chosen not to sing the anthem. Schools cannot compel students to sing, and some students remain quietly standing as a respectful compromise. The 2021 lyric change from 'young and free' to 'one and free' was made partly in response to such concerns about the inclusiveness of the words.