Well may we say God Save the Queen, but can he save Noreen?
That's the question Wollongong MP Noreen Hay may be asking this morning after she came under attack for not singing the former anthem at an official Anzac Day ceremony this year.
It may be the first time a politician has been criticised for not opening their mouth.
POLL: Should Noreen Hay apologise for not singing?Ms Hay has expressed regret for the hurt caused by her failure to sing at the ceremony, which upset the Wollongong War Widows' Guild so much they are considering objecting to her attendance next year.
Guild president Audrey Laidlaw wrote to Ms Hay on May 1 on behalf of the branch's 60 members after several widows and servicemen complained that the MP remained silent during the Royal National Anthem (God Save the Queen), which was played as well as Advance Australia Fair at the town hall event.
VIDEO: Sing along to God Save the Queen. This video includes lyrics
Mrs Laidlaw this week said Ms Hay had not responded to the letter, which had needed approval from the War Widows' Guild of NSW before it was sent.
But Ms Hay said she had replied in writing and was unsure why the response still hadn't been received.
Because Ms Hay was a special guest at the ceremony, the reaction among older members at the town hall had been one of "upset, indignation and incense", Mrs Laidlaw said.
"She was standing there in front of me and, unlike the people around her, she didn't open her mouth.
"If I didn't have all the people come up to me and complain I probably wouldn't have done anything.
"But men went to World War I under that anthem and our husbands did in World War II as well - us war widows thought that it was disrespectful."
Ms Hay, who was born in London, told the Mercury the last thing she had wanted to do was offend anyone.
She said that on Anzac Day she had attended a dawn service at Port Kembla, visited veterans at City Diggers and then met her husband, children and grandchildren to "cheer and applaud the marchers".
"My intention on the day was to pay my respects and honour the fallen, their families and their descendants," Ms Hay said.
"The war widows have suggested that I have offended them by not singing God Save the Queen - this was never my intention and I extend my sincere regrets if that is the case."
Ms Hay said she had written a reply to the letter from the guild and would investigate what had happened to it.
She said she could not remember if she had sung at the town hall.
Mrs Laidlaw said in her experience special guests sang both anthems at the services.
It is the responsibility of the Anzac Day committee to invite special guests - including Ms Hay - to the ceremony next year.
"But if it were up to me, I would say no," Mrs Laidlaw said.
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