Walking down Swanston Street there is never any shortage of seeing people in less than ideal conditions. Homelessness, Protesting for a silenced minority or to silence a misinformed minority (EG. Protesting against One Nation). Walking down Swanston Street on Monday seemed like every other, A man sits leaning against one of the corners near Melbourne Central’s entrance, he’s asleep, and it’s daytime. Sprawled across his body is a large sheet with the Australian flag on it accompanied by a matching beanie on his head with the union jack on it. I walk inside Melbourne centrals lower entrance to make my way towards the trains and on the way see one of the many tourist merchandize stores in the area, I piece together in my head perhaps the man had been given this items from a passerbyer at some point who made use of the nearby store. A true act of kindness, only an assumption from my point of view, but an educated one that had a nice sense of sentiment to it. As i walk past this store I see some tourists holding a Koala that when pressed makes the sound effect of part of the Australian anthem, I only catch a few notes of it as I begin to gain pace on my walk knowing my train could leave at any moment but I continue to linger on the thought of the man and his clothing apparel. The sad irony in the fact he is literally being supplied warmth and support by a blanket with the very symbol of a nation’s system that seems to go against the least fortunate of society.

Filmic Potential: A reworked version of the Australia national anthem, containing the same lyrics but showing visual depictions of the antonym of any words sang in the song. Highlighting oppression, sickness, racism, hatred, all things our society is currently plagued by and yet our anthem boasts positive messages. Potential made into a “Music Video” of sorts with a political agenda of highlighting issues with our nation from a political and cultural standpoint in this point in time.