Page 5119 - Week 13 - Thursday, 29 November 2018
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The coat of arms currently used across the ACT is the coat of arms for the city of Canberra, not for the Australian Capital Territory. It originated from a request by the commonwealth in 1927 so that the coat of arms could be used on a newly commissioned ship, HMAS Canberra, rather than for the specific purpose of representing the Australian Capital Territory.
The government recognises that the coat of arms includes historical design elements that are no longer relevant to the people of Canberra. The ACT flag currently uses a modified form of the coat of arms for the city of Canberra and the Southern Cross. A potential new coat of arms for the ACT would necessitate a change to the flag.
The ACT government is supportive of the consideration of a territory coat of arms. This morning the Assembly has voted for the Standing Committee on Environment and Transport and City Services to undertake further community consultation and consideration on this matter.
The process to design a new coat of arms, the first one of the Australian Capital Territory, and to change the ACT flag would require consideration, and the community should have an opportunity to contribute to this discussion. The strong community involvement and interest in the mammal emblem discussion shows that there is an interest in symbols and emblems that represent our territory and our community.
It is important that these emblems represent who we are and reflect how we see ourselves as a territory. It is also important that we consider how we can draw attention to the conservation of all of our emblems, floral, faunal and mammal, potentially through a coat of arms and flag for the territory. This is something that the standing committee is well placed to consider.
I thank the committee for their thoughtful consideration and thorough research on this topic.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Mammal emblem for the ACT
MR BARR (Kurrajong—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Social Inclusion and Equality, Minister for Tourism and Special Events and Minister for Trade, Industry and Investment) (3.55): I move:
That this Assembly adopt the Southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby as the mammal emblem for the Australian Capital
MR BARR: I am pleased to move that this Assembly adopt the southern brush-tailed rock-wallaby as the mammal emblem for the Australian Capital Territory, and I commend my motion to the Assembly.
MS LAWDER (Brindabella) (3.55): We are pleased to support Mr Barr’s motion that the Assembly adopt the southern brush-tailed rock-wallaby as the mammal emblem
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