The Guardian opinion piece proposes dingo as Australia’s national animal
An article published on 27 May 2026 argues for a change to the country’s symbolic fauna, though the proposal remains a subjective assertion rather than a policy announcement.
An opinion piece published by The Guardian on 27 May 2026 has argued that Australia should adopt the dingo as its national animal, replacing the kangaroo. The article appeared in the publication’s 'First Dog on the Moon' column and was titled "Australia needs a national animal. No, not the kangaroo... the dingo!".
The author, whose identity is not specified in the source material, asserts that "everyone loves dingoes and if they don’t they should". The piece is part of a broader column that includes cartoons and merchandise, distinguishing it from formal policy announcements or legislative debates regarding national symbols.
The kangaroo is currently widely regarded as a national symbol of Australia. The dingo, a wild canine native to the continent, is often subject to debate regarding its status as a native species versus a feral dog. The opinion piece does not provide data on public sentiment or political support for this proposal.
The claim that "everyone loves dingoes" is a subjective assertion by the author and should not be treated as factual data. Similarly, the suggestion that those who do not love dingoes "should" is a normative statement, not an objective fact. This is an opinion piece, not a news report of an official government announcement or legislative change regarding national symbols.
The extent of public or political support for this proposal is unknown, as this is an opinion piece rather than a report on policy changes or public sentiment surveys. The Guardian Opinion serves as the primary source for this article and its arguments.