Roo's bounced as
Aussie icons
Ambassador elect Gary Gray is pictured on our front cover with ‘Kangaroos on the Terrace sculptures’, a family of public art pieces created by Smith Sculptors, (who also created the Famine Memorial An Gorta Mor in Subiaco). The humble kangaroo has outlived its usefulness as an Aussie icon by apparently by becoming too synonymous with their native country. The Native Brand Advisory Council – a so called industry-led group, chaired by West Australian mining magnate Andrew Forrest and includes Qantas boss Alan Joyce as a member – was set up in June 2018 to develop a new Australian brand that would promote the country in education, foreign investment, tourism, export and other sectors. The group has concluded its work and made its recommendation to the federal government. “We love our kangaroo – it is currently the most internationally recognised shortcut to Australia,” the Council said. There was a but! “We considered whether it would shift perceptions of our nation, or simply reinforce what people already knew about us.
Gary Gray pictured with one of the “Kangaroos on the Terrace” sculptures in Perth City, the proposed new Australia Made logo and the current (bottom left). “Our proposed nation brand mark balances a literal and abstract interpretation of a wattle flower. It’s an optimistic burst of gold positivity. Co-created with our Indigenous design partners Balarinji, the mark is embedded with a cultural richness and graphic voice that speaks distinctively of Australia.The hearty resilience of the wattle has come to represent the enduring spirit of the Australian people. This small, beautiful flower is an organic burst of positivity – in bright joyous gold.”
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