Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton is open to changes to the national anthem backed by legendary indigenous-Australian athlete Cathy Freeman.

Alan Jones and Ray Hadley have also thrown their support behind the Recognition in Anthem Project‘s (RAP) proposed changes, which aim “to achieve recognition of Australian values and our First Peoples in the Australian National Anthem”.

The RAP’s proposal calls for just one word to be changed in the first verse and would see the second and third verses replaced entirely.

The change would get rid of the concept that Australia is a “young” nation, and replace the word with “one”.

Minister Dutton says he would support the alteration.

“I think there should be a conversation about it. I don’t have any opposition to it.

“I don’t know whether it starts a slippery slope, if people want to change other parts or drop off other versus.”

But he says he doesn’t support rugby league players who refuse to sing the anthem.

“It annoys me beyond description when you see athletes representing our country and refuse to sing the national anthem. I think it’s an outrage.”

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