Australia has had an emu on the national Coat of Arms since 7 May 1908. The emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) is a common and unimpressive bird, comical in appearance and easily startled. It is speedy but vulnerable, and actively hunted by dingos and birds of prey.

In stark contrast, the equally speedy Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) has no known predators and is probably - out of all of Australia's infamously deadly fauna - the most fearsome Australian animal to bump into in the wild. It is shy and elusive, but extremely dangerous when encountered and provoked. It is bright and colourful, wears an impressive keratinous crest and is capable of killing most animals (including humans) with a single deadly kick. It can not be beaten or outrun. It commands respect.

The Southern Cassowary is also the largest Australian bird (by weight) and lives about twice as long as an emu in the wild. No foreign nation or school-age child would disagree with the proposition that the cassowary is a vastly more impressive bird to grace the Australian Coat of Arms than the emu.

It is time the Southern Cassowary took its rightful place beside the Red Kangaroo as a symbol of Australian nationhood.