Ben Fordham has thrown his support behind a call to change the national anthem.

The NRL backflipped on a decision to scrap the national anthem ahead of the Origin after public outcry and the intervention of the Prime Minister.

The Australian National Anthem was first performed in 1878 but has had the lyrics revised three times to adjust to significant social and political change.

The Recognition in Anthem Project’s proposal, backed by Cathy Freeman, calls for just one word to be changed in the first verse and would see the second and third verses replaced entirely (see below).

Current
Australians all let us rejoice for we are young and free.

Revised
Australians all let us rejoice for we are one and free.

“This is a step we can and should take and I think the time is now,” Ben Fordham said.

“I’m going to change starting tonight and I invite anyone else to join me.

“When the national anthem plays before the Origin I will be singing it loud and proud, but in that opening verse I’ll be singing ‘Australians all let us rejoice for we are one and free.'”

Click PLAY below to hear Ben’s comments in full