Imre Salusinszsky's Variant on the Theme of Protectionism and Subsidy

Roger Clarke

Principal, Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, Canberra

Visiting Fellow, Department of Computer Science, Australian National University

Version of 4 June 2001

© Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, 2001

This document is at http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/WM/Prot&Sub.html

The Australian Performing Rights Association (APRA) is the enforcement body that collects royalties on behalf of Australian performers. It held a competition during early 2001 to pick the best 30 Australian songs since APRA's formation 75 years earlier. Those dates excluded 'Waltzing Matilda' itself, although 'And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda' came in at number 12.

In The Sydney Morning Herald of 4 June 2001, columnist Imre Salusinzsky offered some alternative sets of words for a few of the winners, and for 'Waltzing Matilda' as well.

The APRA poll covered only the last 75 years, or surely Waltzing Matilda would have been No1. I think everyone agrees that this song captures the national outlook perfectly - and nowhere more perfectly than in the extra verses that Banjo Paterson threw out, but that were recently unearthed in a long-forgotten archive at the National Library of Australia:

Up jumped a squatter: "We must ban all foreign grain!"

"Protect local produce from wogs!" quoth he.

Then the boss of the factory cried, "Tariffs on all foreign cars!"

And lastly the worker: "Oi! Don't forget me!"

Waltzing to Canberra!

Waltzing to Canberra!

Demanding protection and subsidy

And we still pay the rent

Of squatters, bosses, unionists

Waltzing to Canberra so merrily!

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Created: 4 June 2001

Last Amended: 4 June 2001

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