Coat of arms of the Australian Capital Territory
The coat of arms of the City of Canberra, also known as Armorial Bearings (Coat of Arms) of the City of Canberra, was granted to Federal Capital Commission, its successors and the City of Canberra by King George V in 1928.[1][2][3] It has been used by the Australian Capital Territory as its de facto coat of arms, as the territory does not have its own coat of arms.[4] A modified version of this coat of arms also appears on the flag of the Australian Capital Territory since 1993.
| Coat of Arms of The Australian Capital Territory | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Armiger | Queen Elizabeth II of Australia in right of the Australian Capital Territory |
| Adopted | 1928 |
| Crest | A gum tree proper upon a mount vert, surmounted by a portcullis ensigned by an Imperial Crown Or |
| Blazon | A castle triple-towered and portcullis lowered argent, between in chief a sword and a sceptre saltireways proper surmounted by an Imperial Crown Or, and in base a rose argent, barbed vert and seeded Or. |
| Supporters | Mute swan and a Black swan. |
| Motto | For the Queen, the Law and the People |
Symbolism
The various symbols of the coat of arms are explained below:
- The crown symbolises Royal authority;
- The mace symbolises the Parliament of Australia;
- The sword symbolises the Sword of State;
- The castle has three towers, symbolising the three branches of government (executive, legislature and judiciary);
- The White Rose is the badge of the Duke of York who opened the old Parliament of Australia building in 1927, and who would later be crowned as King George VI.
- The crowned portcullis again symbolises the legislature (parliament), this being the traditional symbol of the Palace of Westminster, which houses the Parliament of the United Kingdom;
- Behind the portcullis is a gum tree which represents the growth and progress of Canberra, and the fact that it is garden city;
- The supporters are the Australian black swan, representing Aboriginal Australians, and the European white mute swan, representing white settlers;[5]
- The motto is "For the Queen, the Law and the People",[6] the English translation of "Pro Rege, Lege et Grege", which is found on the arms of the city of Perth, Scotland, as well as those of the Ponsonby family.[3]
History
The creation of the Coat of Arms of the City of Canberra originated from a request by the Commonwealth Department of Defence to the Commonwealth Department of Home Affairs and Territories in July 1927. The request was made so that the Coat of Arms could be used on the newly commissioned ship, HMAS Canberra. In August 1927 the Federal Capital Commissioners (FCC) announced a competition to design a Coat of Arms for the FCC and for the City of Canberra.[1]
The Federal Capital Commission (FCC) commenced the competition to design a coat of arms for the City of Canberra in 1928.[1][7][8]
In April 1928, the design of one Mr C. R. Wylie, having won the competition, was sent to the College of Arms, in London, for approval. The coat of arms at this stage did not include a motto. After minor adjustments, King George V granted the design in pursuance of a royal warrant dated 8 October 1928. The College of Arms issued the official exemplification (artistic rendition) and blazon (description) on 7 November 1928, along with a crest.
Coat of Arms Change Debate
Coinciding with Canberra's 100 year anniversary in 2013, the debate on whether the coat of arms should be changed appears from time to time in Canberra's media outlets. Criticism has largely centred around the perceived outdatedness of symbols within the arms. For instance, Republican campaigner Terry Fewtrell argues that ‘‘It’s a travesty that nothing in it reflects the real Canberra,’’ he said. ‘‘It is neither Australian, nor reflective of the people and the place that we live in.’’[9] Examples include the crowns, castle, sword, and mace that are on the coat of arms.
Some proposal for change is also present for the "Flag of the Australian Capital Territory" - even from the current ACT Flag's designer - but for a different reason and with a totally different design.
Coat of Arms of the Australian Capital Territory
There is currently no coat of arms for the Australian Capital Territory, so instead, the coat of arms of the City of Canberra is often used in place as the territory coat of arms.[1] However, in March 2019, following the adoption of the Southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby as the mammal emblem for the territory, the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly is also considering the idea of a separate ACT Coat of Arms.[4] It is intended that the new ACT coat of arms be created in addition to the existing Canberra coat of arms.
References
- "ACT Flags and Emblems". Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- "Symbols of parliament and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT)". ACT Legislative Assembly. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- "Armorial Bearings of the City of Canberra". ArchivesACT. ACT Government. Archived from the original on 20 March 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
- "Should there be a Territory Coat of Arms?". ACT Legislative Assembly. 21 March 2019.
- "Coat of Arms now Canberra's". Retrieved 21 January 2017.
- "FOR THE KING THE LAW AND THE MOB". Retrieved 21 January 2017.
- "Designs and Notes submitted in competition for Coat-of-Arms for Canberra". Retrieved 21 January 2017.
- "Proposal for the City of Canberra Coat of Arms". Retrieved 21 January 2017.
- "Quest for a 'relevant' coat of arms". Retrieved 21 January 2017.