Colin Hay, the Scotland-born frontman and songwriter for the iconic band Men at Work, has unequivocally stated his disapproval of the far-right group “March For Australia” using the band’s global hit, “Down Under.” The song, often regarded as Australia’s unofficial anthem and a staple at various gatherings worldwide, is not, according to Hay, a call to xenophobia.

Hay drew a clear line, instructing the organizers of “March For Australia” to cease using the song at their rallies. He expressed his strong objection, stating, “Let me say that I most strenuously disapprove of any unauthorized, unlicensed use of Down Under, for any ‘March For Australia’ events.” He emphasized that “‘Down Under,’ a song I co-wrote, does not belong to those who attempt to sow xenophobia within the fabric of our great land, our great people.” Hay firmly declared that “Down Under” is fundamentally a song of celebration, advocating for pluralism, inclusion, and unity, not division. He concluded his message, signing off as “Colin Hay (immigrant),” and urged them to “Go write your own song, leave mine alone.”

Men at Work achieved monumental success with their debut album, “Business As Usual,” and its standout single, “Down Under.” The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks and sold over two million copies in the United States. The band achieved the rare feat of simultaneously holding the top spots on both the singles and albums charts in the United States and the United Kingdom, cementing their place in music history.

This is not the first time Hay has defended the integrity of his signature song. He and co-songwriter Ron Strykert were entangled in a significant court battle beginning in 2009. The dispute centered on whether the flute riff in “Down Under” was illicitly derived from the children’s campfire song “Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree.” The case concluded with a court order for Men at Work to pay 5% of the song’s royalties.

Reflecting on the song's original inspiration, Hay shared with Billboard in 2023 that “Down Under” is “very dear to me.” He explained his initial feelings of “fear and trepidation about Australia becoming overdeveloped, like you know, Florida or something,” contrasted with the desire to preserve the country’s “beautiful uniqueness and incredible — a kind of awesomeness — of the country which I thought, ‘we don’t want to lose that’. We have to nurture, it’s a precious thing we have.”

“Down Under” continues to resonate with audiences, having surpassed one billion streams across all platforms. It also experienced a resurgence when Australian producer Luude reworked it into a drum ‘n’ bass track featuring Hay’s vocals. This new version achieved significant success, crashing into the top 10 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart and peaking at No. 5 in 2021.

Men at Work’s contributions to music have been recognized with their induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 1994. Colin Hay himself received the prestigious Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music at the 2023 APRA Music Awards, further cementing his legacy in the Australian music landscape.