Australian Politics Forum - General Knowledge

Sir Eoin O Fada Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 3838 New England, NSW Gender:	Re: General Knowledge Reply #15 - Aug 2^nd, 2026 at 10:18pm Strictly speaking the roo and the emu are not part of the arms, merely the supporters, the emu is doing the best that it can but the roo is lazy, not holding the shield with his right arm and leaning on it with his left.
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Jasin Gold Member Offline Posts: 57345 Gender:	Re: General Knowledge Reply #16 - Aug 3^rd, 2026 at 1:31am Funny. Those two pictures. Bottom one represents the Convicts who were sent here to build a better country than Britain as quiet achievers. The top one represents the apathetic lazy winge Australia for Media America.
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Gnads

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Re: General Knowledge
Reply #17 - Aug 3^rd, 2026 at 11:06am

Leroy wrote on Aug 2^nd, 2026 at 12:25pm:

Gnads wrote on Aug 2^nd, 2026 at 11:35am:

greggerypeccary wrote on Aug 2^nd, 2026 at 11:29am:

Kangaroo and Emu.

Why? They can't (easily) step backwards.

Thus, they represent Australia as a forward looking nation.

Something like that.

Correct

No its incorrect.

The Kangaroo and Emu were selected because they are endemic to Australia and nothing to do with walking backwards.

It's about the fact that they cannot walk backwards therefore the only way they can go is forward. Roll Eyes

There are thousands of animals that are endemic to Australia.

These 2 were chosen for the reason of that inability to walk backward - so forward is the only direction - which is a good symbolic meaning for our Coat of Arms.

Are you truly that thick?

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Gnads Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 33784 Gender:	Re: General Knowledge Reply #18 - Aug 3^rd, 2026 at 11:20am Sir Eoin O Fada wrote on Aug 2^nd, 2026 at 10:18pm: Strictly speaking the roo and the emu are not part of the arms, merely the supporters, the emu is doing the best that it can but the roo is lazy, not holding the shield with his right arm and leaning on it with his left. The Roo has 3 legs for support if you count the tail.
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Jasin Gold Member Offline Posts: 57345 Gender:	Re: General Knowledge Reply #19 - Aug 3^rd, 2026 at 11:31am Leroy's right though. They were chosen just for endemic reasons. The coincidence of them not able to move backwards was a bonus after realisation. Pure fluke.
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Marla Gold Member Offline A joint a day keeps the MAGA away Posts: 15036 Colorado Gender:	Re: General Knowledge Reply #20 - Aug 4^th, 2026 at 9:18am Sir Eoin O Fada wrote on Aug 2^nd, 2026 at 3:35pm: Only on the right shoulder, [depending on one’s perspective], on the left shoulder it is the reverse, so that from either side the flag is advancing. Hope that helps. Dipshit can Google
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lee Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 21394 Gender:	Re: General Knowledge Reply #21 - Aug 4^th, 2026 at 1:07pm Marla wrote on Aug 4^th, 2026 at 9:18am: Dipshit can Google Whereas Marla just knows things; even if they are wrong.
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UnSubRocky

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Re: General Knowledge
Reply #22 - Aug 4^th, 2026 at 2:44pm

greggerypeccary wrote on Aug 2^nd, 2026 at 12:44pm:

The shield is held up by the native Australian animals the kangaroo and the emu, which were chosen to symbolise a nation moving forward, based on the fact that neither animal can move backwards easily.

I have seen footage of emus walking backwards. And kangaroos are known to hop backwards during their territorial fights. But, in general, both animals move forward most of the time. It is probably coincidental that they were chosen for the coat of arms and have that forward motion trait.

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« Last Edit: Aug 4^th, 2026 at 3:04pm by UnSubRocky »

At this stage...

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aquascoot Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 37985 Gender:	Re: General Knowledge Reply #23 - Aug 4^th, 2026 at 5:02pm lee wrote on Aug 4^th, 2026 at 1:07pm: Marla wrote on Aug 4^th, 2026 at 9:18am: Dipshit can Google Whereas Marla just knows things; even if they are wrong. Only knows his role as walter mitty
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lee

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Re: General Knowledge
Reply #24 - Aug 4^th, 2026 at 5:06pm

From Ai - "It’s mostly speculation, but it’s also a widely repeated story.

For the official Commonwealth Coat of Arms, the Australian Symbols booklet says the kangaroo and emu were chosen as familiar, uniquely Australian native creatures found in almost all states and territories, and then adds that “some say” they were chosen because of a common belief that neither animal can move backwards easily—so even the official source frames the “can’t move backward” idea as secondary/folk belief rather than a confirmed design reason."

confirmed by - https://www.pmc.gov.au/resources/australian-symbols-booklet/national-symbols/com...

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Sir Eoin O Fada

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Re: General Knowledge
Reply #25 - Aug 4^th, 2026 at 6:25pm

Marla wrote on Aug 4^th, 2026 at 9:18am:

Sir Eoin O Fada wrote on Aug 2^nd, 2026 at 3:35pm:

Only on the right shoulder, [depending on one’s perspective], on the left shoulder it is the reverse, so that from either side the flag is advancing.

Hope that helps.

Dipshit can Google

Not so, personal observation, whilst a guest of one of my former Battalion’s sister US units.

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Self defence is a right.

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Leroy

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Re: General Knowledge
Reply #26 - Aug 4^th, 2026 at 6:32pm

Gnads wrote on Aug 3^rd, 2026 at 11:06am:

Leroy wrote on Aug 2^nd, 2026 at 12:25pm:

Gnads wrote on Aug 2^nd, 2026 at 11:35am:

greggerypeccary wrote on Aug 2^nd, 2026 at 11:29am:

Kangaroo and Emu.

Why? They can't (easily) step backwards.

Thus, they represent Australia as a forward looking nation.

Something like that.

Correct

No its incorrect.

The Kangaroo and Emu were selected because they are endemic to Australia and nothing to do with walking backwards.

It's about the fact that they cannot walk backwards therefore the only way they can go is forward. Roll Eyes

There are thousands of animals that are endemic to Australia.

These 2 were chosen for the reason of that inability to walk backward - so forward is the only direction - which is a good symbolic meaning for our Coat of Arms.

Are you truly that thick?

Yes I'm that thick.

Grin

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Leroy

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Re: General Knowledge
Reply #27 - Aug 4^th, 2026 at 7:03pm

lee wrote on Aug 4^th, 2026 at 5:06pm:

From Ai - "It’s mostly speculation, but it’s also a widely repeated story.

For the official Commonwealth Coat of Arms, the Australian Symbols booklet says the kangaroo and emu were chosen as familiar, uniquely Australian native creatures found in almost all states and territories, and then adds that “some say” they were chosen because of a common belief that neither animal can move backwards easily—so even the official source frames the “can’t move backward” idea as secondary/folk belief rather than a confirmed design reason."

confirmed by - https://www.pmc.gov.au/resources/australian-symbols-booklet/national-symbols/com...

Yeah the dingo and swan were first choice but several reports of dingo's running backwards through the bush and swans swimming backwards up the river made them ineligible.

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chimera Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 15451 Armidale Gender:	Re: General Knowledge Reply #28 - Aug 4^th, 2026 at 7:29pm Every thing can go backwards. Emu walks into dense bush, stops and stays there until dead... The real reason is footie. Roos and emus do the kick, either foot, and deadly.
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