Grammy-winning musician Colin Hay has told anti-immigration protesters to stop using his iconic song about Australia, Down Under.

Hay, frontman of the hit 1980s band Men At Work, took to social media to state his position on Down Under being used at March for Australia events, which politicians have condemned as racist.

March for Australia is planning a fresh round of demonstrations in capital cities for Australia Day on Monday, calling on people to “show that Australia’s identity cannot be ignored”.

In a scathing post on Instagram, Hay said he did not want his song hijacked by people “who attempt to sow xenophobia”.

“Let me say that I most strenuously disapprove of any unauthorised, unlicensed use of Down Under, for any ‘March For Australia’ events,” Hay wrote on Instagram.

The song, which features the line “Do you come from a land down under”, was a huge hit in the 1980s, and was co-written by Hay.

He said it did “not belong to those who attempt to sow xenophobia within the fabric of our great land, our great people”.

“Down Under is ultimately a song of celebration. It’s for pluralism and inclusion; unity, not division.”

He bluntly ended the post: “Go write your own song, leave mine alone.”

Hay signed off, “Colin Hay (immigrant).”

Born in Scotland, Hay moved to Australia as a teenager with his family.

Men at Work sold more than 30 million records worldwide on the strength of its number singles Who Can It Be Now? and Down Under and won a Grammy award for Best New Artist in 1983.

But they disbanded only a couple of years later, in 1985, with Hay then launching a solo career, with 12 more albums.

March for Australia, which has been widely condemned for encouraging racism, is planning a round of mass gatherings on Australia Day at seven locations. It is calling on people to “stand together, walk together” and show that “Australia’s identity cannot be ignored”.

Previous marches across capital cities have attracted racist neo-Nazi groups and people carrying anti-immigration banners.