Written by Oscar Holland, CNN

Australia's national flower, the golden wattle, has long appeared on stamps, emblems and awards, and is considered a symbol of unity in the country.

But its use in a new logo promoting Australia's interests overseas has proven divisive, with some even likening the design to depictions of the coronavirus.

The controversial logo, which its designers say was partly inspired by Aboriginal art and culture, was suggested by the Nation Brand Advisory Council and approved by Australia's trade minister, Simon Birmingham. And while the council's proposal was submitted back in December 2019 -- long before Covid-19 was classified as a global pandemic -- social media users were quick to draw comparisons.

"I can't believe they have changed the Australian made logo to look like this, it looks like a virus," wrote Marck Coure, a New South Wales MP, on Twitter.

Queensland MP Duncan Pegg meanwhile tweeted, "Wouldn't it have been better to get school students involved to design a new one?" He added: "I know they would do a better job than this rubbish!"

Both politicians were among a number of social media users to imply the wattle will replace the kangaroo symbol used to signify Australia-made products. But the golden wattle is reportedly intended to supersede the boomerang logo used by Australia Unlimited, which promotes the country's overseas trade and investment.

In an attempt to quell confusion, Australian Made issued a statement clarifying that the green and gold kangaroo will "continue its pivotal role in Australia's domestic and overseas branding strategy."

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The Nation Brand Advisory Council, which comprises figures from across business, media and the arts, nonetheless questioned the effectiveness of a kangaroo logo in its rebranding proposal, asking whether the animal would "shift perceptions of our nation, or simply reinforce what people already knew about us."

Conversely, the report said, the golden wattle symbol "provides a blank canvas, to tell a new Australian story."

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack told Australia's 9News that both symbols would be used to promote the country's interests, saying that the "wattle is to attract attention at international trade shows." Birmingham earlier confirmed to the channel that kangaroos, meanwhile, would "continue to be a key part of Australia's marketing and logos from our Air Force to our tourism campaigns, our national airline and our sporting teams."

Historic significance

Despite proving unpopular online, the golden wattle logo was intended to symbolize the flower's historic importance to both indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. According to the Nation Brand Advisory Council's proposal, the dotted design was inspired by Aboriginal art and was created in partnership with an indigenous design firm.

Found across the country, the golden wattle was traditionally used by Aboriginal communitie

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