Original subtitles

I'm walking

Like a lonely child

Never knowing which way to turn

Feeling lost I've wandered far

Reach out and touch me

Take my hand and walk me home

Reach out and touch me

Understand that you will never, ever be alone

Lost and lonely Lost and lonely

Till you found me Till you found me

And now you're giving me everything, yeah

Teach me to find love

Take my hand and walk me home

Reach out for my love

Understand that you will never be alone.

WOMAN: Joely!

Yeah, hang on!

Mum! Oh, Joely! Photo.

Nice hair. Dad!

Eddie! What?

I just said... you look good. You look deadly, you know?

If you were going to court. See, Mum?

Edward.

Come on, I was just joking, alright? You look deadly.

Joely, I'm proud of you, alright? Thanks.

(Camera clicks)

Australians all let us rejoice

For we are young and free

We've golden soil and wealth for toil

Our home is girt by sea

Our land bounds in nature's gifts

Of beauty rich and rare

In history's page, let every stage

Advance Australia fair

In joyful strains then let us sing

Advance Australia fair

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross

We'll toil with hearts and hands.

Morning, Joel. Morning, sir.

How's your first day at Clifton Grammar going?

Yeah, it's OK.

Good. Good.

Hey, I know it's a bit intimidating, but you'll be right.

Mmm.

Do you know why you've been kept back from assembly?

Uh, no. Am I in trouble, sir?

No. Look, no, um, Mrs MaCann just wanted me to have a talk with you.

Do you know what the national anthem is?

Yeah. Mmm?

Oh, it's a song sung at footy grand finals and cricket games,

like when Australia play England and India and that.

(Laughs) Yeah, yeah. That's right.

Any other occasions spring to mind?

Uh, and the State of Origin.

Yep. That's right - at the State of Origin.

You'd be a Blues man, yeah? Nah, Queensland.

Really? Why is that? 'Cause they got more blackfellas.

Hey, I noticed today you weren't singing.

Yeah. Why was that?

It's... I don't know the words, sir.

Right. OK, well, um...

OK, for your first bit of homework,

I want you to learn the words tonight,

and write one page on the origins of Advance Australia Fair.

Yes, sir. Easy.

You know, you're in a very privileged position,

winning an Indigenous scholarship to Clifton.

I hope you make the most of it, Joel.

Yes, sir.

(Door clicks) Joely?

Yeah.

Well? How did it go?

Uh, it was alright.

No, no, no, no, no. You're not getting away with that.

It's school, Mum. You know, school. It's fine.

Well, I'm your mother, remember? Mothers don't know anything.

So, come on. How did it go?

What are the students like? Are the teachers nice?

They're fine, Mum. It's all fine.

Come on! You gotta give me something.

(Sighs) I got homework.

On your first day? Yeah.

Are you gonna do it now? Yep.

Well, too good! Well, I don't wanna stop Mr Studious!

(Knocking at door) Yeah?

How'd you go today, bud? Good? Yeah, good.

You got homework, eh? Yeah.

What is it?

I don't know - some Advance Australia Fair thing.

Yeah?

I gotta write a page on where it comes from and that,

and I have to learn the words for it too.

What for - you gotta sing it? Yeah, everyone's gotta sing it.

Teachers and all.

Stand up and sing it? Yep.

But they only sing that thing at State of Origin or what?

That's what I said. Well, what do they reckon?

I don't know, just give me this thing to do.

'For those who've come across the seas,

we've boundless plains to share.'

What did they share?

'With courage let us all combine to advance Australia fair.'

You gotta sing this? Yep. Every day.

Every day?

(Sighs) What do you reckon, Choc?

Pretty bizarre, what, bro?

Well, good luck with that one, Joely.

(Sighs) Yeah.

Joel! Joel!

Nice suit, bro. Looking good!

Looks like you're going to the club, brother.

Who do you think you are in that - Will Smith?

(Laughter)

Aww, Joely!

Joel, we're only mucking around, cuz.

Joel!

Joely!

What - you're too good for us now or what?

Dad!

Joely. You want a lift to school?

Yeah.

Friend of yours? What? Nah! Nah, nah.

Yeah, of course.

Hey, Dad, just drop me off here. Eh?

It's alright. It's just... I wanna walk.

What for? I don't know, I just wanna walk.

No worries, bud. Thanks, Dad.

Hey, Joely!

Hey, that thing you had to do last night, that homework,

I feel no good about it, eh?

What do you reckon? I don't know.

You know what, Joely?

I have never stood up for that song, not even for the State of Origin.

It's not our song. It doesn't belong to us.

You don't need that stuff to have pride, bud, alright?

If you get in trouble for not singing their gammon song,

you tell 'em come and talk to me, alright?

Thanks, Dad. I will.

Australians all let us rejoice

For we are young and free

We've golden soil and wealth for toil

Our home is girt by sea

Our land bounds in nature's gifts

Of beauty rich and rare

In history's page, let every stage

Advance Australia fair

In joyful strains then let us sing...

(Door creaks)

Morning, Joel. Morning, sir.

Mrs MaCann noticed you weren't singing again.

I thought we talked about this.

Yeah, but I done my homework.

Well, I'm a little confused, Joel.

Why weren't you singing?

We really want you to be a part of this school, Joel.

A scholarship is something you should grab with both hands.

I don't want to see you throw it away.

But we need you to follow the rules,

and one of those rules is to sing the national anthem at assembly.

Yeah, I know, sir. It just doesn't feel right.

Well, I'm sorry, Joel, but rules are rules.

Now, Mr Moore's going to have a talk with you, OK?

He's alright. He's a good teacher.

(Door clunks)

I've been the Aboriginal liaison here for nearly three years now.

Three years I've been standing in this hall with that song,

and you know what?

I've never sung a word.

What - so, you don't have to sing it?

Ah, now, my mouth's moving, but I'm not singing.

No sound, Joel.

Mouth moving.

Nothing coming out.

See how you go with that one.

OK, we're opening up to 5.2. Those with an old book, 3.1.

Hey.

GIRL: Today the modern world is facing one of the greatest challenges

we yet have to face.

That challenge is called global warming.

Since the Industrial Revolution,

man has escalated into mining of the Earth's fossil fuel...

MAN: I caught this morning morning's minion,

kingdom of daylight's dauphin.

I caught this morning morning's minion,

kingdom of daylight's dauphin.

Look at these words. Look at them.

Why has he written them? What's he saying?

(Mimics snoring) Look at the words. Look closely.

'Morning morning's minion.'

Why these words? Why?

The 'M's. Look at the 'M's.

What's he saying?

What is this brilliant poet saying in this brilliant poem?

'Morning morning's minion.'

Birds? (Laughter)

What did you say? Nothing.

No, no, Joel, what did you say?

Birds, sir. (Laughter)

Shh, shh! Joel, why birds?

The 'M's, sir. The 'M's look like birds.

Yes! Yes, that's it.

Well done, Joel. Excellent!

'Morning morning's minion.'

Poems paint pictures.

Words paint pictures, and they walk with us every day.

The poet, Gerard Manley Hopkins, wanted you to see,

to feel, to breathe.

Our land...

Na...

(Knocking at door)

What you doing? Nah, nah, nothing.

How'd you go today?

Oh, yeah, in English, Dad, I nailed this...

No, no, no, that other business, that national anthem thing.

Oh, um, well, when everyone stood up to sing it,

I just stayed and I didn't get up, like you said, Dad.

Well, what about singing? Did you sing?

No, nothing.

(Exhales)

Well, look, I'll back you up on this,

but you know your mother's gonna be spewing.

How much trouble did you get in?

I don't know. They just told me off.

That's it. Yeah.

That's... that's deadly, Joel.

You... you stood your ground.

Hey, Choc, my son - he's the man too.

Don't tell your mother, eh?

Alright.

Australians all let us rejoice

For we are young and free

We've golden soil and wealth for toil

Our home is girt by sea

Our land bounds in nature's gifts...

Well, Joel?

(Fingers tap)

I wish you wouldn't do that.

(Fingers tap) What?

That!

Tapping annoys the shit out of me.

Sorry(!)

So, what did they say again? Who?

The school.

I don't know.

What do you mean you don't know? You took the call, didn't you?

Surely they must've said something.

Hello?

The school, our son?

They rang to say they wanted to talk to us about our son.

They didn't say much. They just said they wanted to see us about our son.

And that's it? That's it.

Nothing else? Nothing else.

(Chime sounds)

MAN, ON TANNOY: Could Joel Shields

please come to the principal's office?

Joel Shields to the principal's office.

MRS MACANN: Don't get me wrong,

we pride ourselves on our tolerance and understanding,

but it's a tradition at Clifton Grammar

to sing the national anthem at the start of each day.

It's not up for negotiation.

This is the first I've heard of this.

Edward, did you know about this?

A little.

There are many families out there

who would love to have a son in Joel's position.

It's a very good school.

But we have an issue,

and I wouldn't want it to jeopardise Joel's place here.

Mrs MaCann, I couldn't agree more.

I know... WE know how lucky Joel is. Let me just say this.

There will be no issue, will there, Joel?

No, Mum. Joel.

No, Mum.

You will stand and sing the national anthem.

Yes, Mum.

Now, what have you got to say for yourself?

Sorry, miss.

I want you to tell our son

that there's no shame in standing up and singing the national anthem.

Can you do that?

I could, but, Joely, what do you reckon?

Should a whitefella stand up and do a blackfella corroboree?

Well, should a blackfella stand up

and sing a whitefella's anthem - their corroboree?

I don't know. It just doesn't feel right.

Thank you.

No matter what, I don't care who asks you to sing it,

you don't sing it, OK?

OK.

Yeah, I'm gonna go to my room. Good idea.

(Television plays)

Joel! Joel!

He's in his room. Oh, no shit!

(Television silences)

Our son will stand and sing the national anthem.

No. No.

What's so wrong about me wanting my son to stand up for something?

To be strong - to be a strong black man?

You can't see it, can you?

You sit high and mighty in your corroboree ground recliner chair.

Big brave warrior standing up for the black man.

You can't even light a fire, Eddie! You're scared of the bush!

You can't even walk in your backyard without your shoes.

You're living like a whitefella.

You live in a whitefella house, you watch whitefella TV.

So what? 'So what'?

You can't pick and choose when it suits you!

Our son is at a good school.

A really good school, and you wanna drag him down

all because of your newfound thing for principles.

It's only a song. A song!

What do you want our son to be, hmm? What?

You think to be a proper blackfella, you got to live in a humpy?

Drink in the park?

Burn the Australian flag, spit on all things white?

He has a chance for something real here.

And you know what?

Even if he goes to a flash school,

wears a tie, shoes, and socks, sings the national anthem,

he's still black.

And I'll always tell him that.

So, what - that's it? Show's over?

You're nearly 40, Eddie, and what?

You're done and dusted, mate.

Don't do this to our son.

See youse. See you, Joely.

Joely.

You look very handsome in your uniform.

Very handsome. It suits you.

Joely!

Before you know it, you're gonna have your own family,

your own responsibilities,

and... and these next few years can set you up for that.

Australians all let us rejoice

For we are young and free

We've golden soil and wealth for toil

Our home is girt by sea

Our land bounds in nature's gifts

Of beauty rich and rare

In history's page, let every stage

Advance Australia fair

In joyful strains then let us sing

Advance Australia fair.

(Door clunks)

Joely! What are you doing home?

Are you sick?

What's this?

Being suspended, it's not the end of the world.

It can be fixed.

We'll walk right in there, be straight up.

Talk to the school.

Tell them it's just a big misunderstanding.

No disrespect intended.

Whatever they want - extra work, detention. Whatever they want.

Suspending a student is not something we do lightly.

I... We understand. What can we do to make this right?

Well, Mrs Shields, the ball is in your court.

Our court?

This school has all kinds of students, doesn't it?

What's the word for it? 'Multicultural'.

Yeah, blackfellas are thrown into that mix too - multiculturalism.

We used to be thrown in with the flora and fauna

until there was a national referendum.

We got counted as people and got the right to vote.

Your father probably voted in the referendum.

Yes, he did.

Thank him for me.

Anyhow, my question to you, to all of you,

is that as my son has the right to be counted and the right to vote,

he has the right to make a stand.

How do you see that?

Well, I look around this school, I see all kinds of kids.

Chinese, Japanese, Muslim.

They all got their own way of thinking.

They don't look up to Captain Cook or the Queen of England.

They got their own mob.

So, when you look at it,

Joel has the right not to praise, stand, or sing something

that he doesn't believe in.

Except there's a flaw in that argument.

How's that?

Well, there are lots of beliefs amongst our students.

We respect that, but in Joel's case,

I don't see the Queen or Captain Cook as being religious figures.

This isn't a religious issue. This is a political one.

Yeah, well... Mrs MaCann, we're proud of our son.

We're proud that he's here, and we want him to stay.

Joel wants to stay.

There must be something we can do to fix this.

Joel could write a letter of apology and read it to the school.

If he gets detention, so be it.

We're very proud of our relationship with the Indigenous community.

I think it enriches us all, students and staff.

Ultimately, my responsibility is to the Board of Governors.

They provide the financial support

to allow us to offer the scholarships.

If I exempt Joel, it sets a precedent.

And I don't see the need for letter writing or detention.

All Joel needs to do is stand up and sing the national anthem.

After all, at the end of the day, we're all Australians.

It does sound simple.

Just get Joel up, just sing along with the reset of the herd.

Forget about his principles, forget about the shit he copped.

Youse mob should be shaking his hand.

You don't want some kid

who's gonna roll over whenever he's told to, or do you?

Um, we've all been talking like Joel isn't in the room.

He hasn't said a word.

Joel, you should say something.

I like this school,

and, Mum, I know it's not cheap, even with the scholarship.

I don't want to get into any more trouble.

So, I wanna sing the national anthem.

But I tried to sing the national anthem, and I can't.

I'm sorry, Mum. I just can't.

While I admire Joel's convictions,

I am left with no other choice but to expel him.

What?

I'm sorry, Mrs Shields. I have no other choice.

(Stammers) But you can't.

For one song - you're going to expel my son for one song.

There has to be another way. Please don't do this. It's not right!

I'm sorry. Can't we talk about it?

It can't be over. This is not over! You can't do this to my family!

Mr Moore, can't you do something?

What are you here for?! Isn't this your job?!

Help these kids! Help us!

We've worked too hard! He's worked too hard to get here.

Please don't do this to our family!

Please, one more chance! He's a good kid.

This'll wreck his life. I know you don't want this.

You're a good person. There has to be another way. Please, anything!

Don't do this to my son, please! Don't!

(Knocking at door)

(Sighs)

(Knocking at door)

Um, hi. I was wondering if Joel was home.

Joel Shields? Yeah.

Joel? Joely!

JOEL: Yeah? You have a visitor.

What? A visitor!

Who? You go to the same school?

Yeah. Who is it?

Come and see!

Hey. Hey! Um...

Heard you got into some trouble today.

Yeah.

How'd it go? Uh, not good.

Yeah, I heard. Yeah.

Yeah.

Mum's spewing.

Isn't she proud of you? Proud of me?

Because you stood up for yourself.

Nah, just spewing.

Not many people would have done what you did.

Yeah, and what now?

Kicked out of school, losing the scholarship.

I've never seen my mum like this. It's shameful.

It's not shame. It's brave.

Joel, inside now!

Um, I gotta go, but I'll see you at school?

Oh, no... Goodbye!

Bye-bye...

So, that's what this is all about. What?

Some girl.

This is why you're throwing your life away - for some girl?

Nah, she's got nothing to do with it.

Then why did she come around? I don't know!

So, she just happened to turn up

after you'd been expelled from school?!

Oh, no... I don't know. So what if she came around?

Oh, Jesus Christ, Joel!

You just got expelled from one of the best schools in the country

and you don't give a shit?!

All you care about is styling up for some Beyonce wannabe!

You think I did this for her? You think I wanted to get expelled?

How about standing up for me instead of standing up for the school?

Joel... Joel?

Whatever!

I was terrible to Joel today.

I think there might be a girl at that school that Joel likes.

Yeah, I seen her. Cute as.

You know, I used to perv on you

when you'd take your jumper off at half-time.

Yeah, I know. Still got it too.

Yeah, still got it.

You remember that night at the clubhouse,

when they kicked you out for not taking your hat off?

Yeah, the pricks.

That was a night now when I thought, 'He's gonna be my man.'

Hey?

So, you wanted me

because I got kicked out of the pub for not taking my hat off?

Yep.

I thought you wanted me because I was deadly.

Yeah, and 'cause you're deadly.

It wasn't the hat. It was the principle.

I thought, 'This fella's a bit alright.

Does things his own way. Stands up for himself.'

Now we have Joel. Yeah.

He needs us.

He stood for something. He stood up for himself.

So, what do you wanna do?

They rubbished our son.

No-one rubbishes our son.

It's not gonna be easy, Joely.

They're gonna throw everything they got at you - I mean everything.

Me and your father, we're standing right behind you, bub.

You can do this.

MAN: 1904 is universally considered to be the definitive...

Morning, morning, sir.

Morning, Joel.

OK, can anyone tell me what Orwell means by the party slogan,

'He who controls the past controls the future?'

What's this? You know what this is.

You right? Yeah, I'm right.

Enlighten me.

Your son's been expelled. He's no longer welcome at the school.

You know what?

We're gonna be back here tomorrow, and the day after that,

and the day after that, and the day after that.

He'll be arrested for trespass. You're gonna arrest him?

How's that gonna look when you're fundraising?

Half of your benefactors walked the Sydney Harbour Bridge to say sorry.

You probably walked the Bridge as well.

Ah! You did!

You walked the Bridge in the name of Reconciliation,

and now you want to kick out a black kid from your big, flash school!

You mad or what?

See you tomorrow.

Pick you up.

Joely, you be strong, yeah? I'm alright, Dad.

OK.

Not right now, son. Come on.

WOMAN: I don't want you to be late for your first day.

Give me a hug. Oh, I'm really proud of you.

Hey, what's this? What's going on? Well, what's with the uniform?

Nothing. You know.

No, I don't know.

It's a good school, Eddie. You know that.

They made an offer, they come and talked to us,

and I'm sorry, but I just want...

You don't have to apologise. Kerry.

It's nothing personal, Eddie.

You know, I just want something for my son. You know how it is.

I mean, with a school like this behind him, he can go anywhere.

They're using you. This is window dressing, do you know that?

Do you want that?

What I want is a good education for my son.

If they wanna say I'm being used, then so be it. I can live with that.

Well, what about your son - can he live with it?

I'm really sorry, Eddie.

Yeah, me too. Real sorry, bud.

MRS MACANN: At Clifton Grammar,

we have a great respect for our country's First Nations people.

Theirs is the oldest continuous living culture in the world.

Nevertheless, within the Aboriginal community there are social problems

and hurdles to be overcome.

And Clifton Grammar contributes to closing the gap

in the scholarships we offer,

and in the presence here, for NAIDOC Week, of the elders,

who do a welcome to country.

Joel's absence gives another Indigenous boy

the chance to make something of himself, a chance at life.

And that's it. Thank you.

Australians all let us rejoice

For we are young and free

We've golden soil and wealth for toil

Our home is girt by sea

Our land bounds in nature's gifts

Of beauty rich and rare

In history's page, let every stage

Advance Australia fair

In joyful strains then let us sing

Advance Australia fair

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross

We'll toil with hearts and hands

To make this Commonwealth of ours

Renowned of all the lands

For those who've come across...

Deal with those students. No.

Things have gotten way out of hand. We need to get Joel back.

That's not going to happen.

You're the head of special projects, Mr Parish. You deal with it.

The bloody song only became the national anthem in 1984.

Look at the kids. It means nothing to them.

In joyful strains then let us sing

Advance Australia fair.

Well, well, well! Solidarity, is it?

Joel Shields' little protest movement.

The bonding of his people.

Do you think because you're Aboriginal that I won't expel you?

There are a hundred kids out there who would love your scholarships.

There are a hundred kids out there

who would love to have the opportunities

that you've been given.

Now, I'm going to count to five, and when I reach five,

I want you all on your feet and singing your heart out.

One, two, three, four, five.

Your parents have sacrificed a lot for you.

Do you think you'd be able

to find an education like this in Brewarrina?

How do you think they're going to respond

when they have to come all this way and pick you up

after you've had to tell them that you've been expelled?

Miss, you'd be wrong there. Our parents are right behind us.

They're proud we're standing up for something,

and if we get expelled, so be it, they reckon.

Mine too.

GIRL: Mine too. And mine.

BOY: Mine too. BOY: Yeah, and mine.

I'm impressed with the way you're handling this situation.

It shows me you'll do well in life,

that you're all true leaders of the future.

You've made your point.

What's say we wrap this up and all get back to class.

You've made your point, Chloe. Let's go.

I'm sorry, miss, but no-one's moving until Joel walks through that door.

I have tried to be reasonable.

I have tried to respect your point of view,

but if you will not meet me halfway,

I will not hesitate to expel you, every single one of you,

and you really have no idea what that means, do you?

It will stay on your records for the rest of your life.

Mr Shields.

Joely?

So, just to make sure, he doesn't have to sing the national anthem?

Correct. Hello, Joel.

Hello, Mrs MaCann.

Morning morning, Joel.

Morning morning, sir.