One little word

I enjoyed the subtle colours and shapes in these leaves along the morning walk. I was listening to a debate about whether we should change one word in our national anthem, ‘Advance Australia Fair’. The word is ‘young’ and the lines in question are:
 
Australians all let us rejoice
For we are young and free.
 
The problem is that, as a culture, we’re not young at all. In fact our Indigenous culture is the oldest living culture in the world, stretching back 60,000 years and more. No wonder then that these lines can be hurtful and controversial.
 
The proposal is to change one word:
 
Australians all let us rejoice
For we are one and free.
 
Not perhaps very elegant, but at least more respectful of our heritage.