Australian Aboriginal flag

Government of Australia has bought copyright of Aboriginal flag, in order to free the identity symbol from fights over who can use it.

Highlights

• The Aboriginal flag was created by indigenous artist Harold Thomas in 1971 as a protest image. However, it is now an official national flag and the dominant Aboriginal emblem.
• Despite this, several Aboriginal people are of the view that, flag has been “held hostage” by copyright deals which limit its display.
• This flag can now be reproduced by anyone without following any legal threats.
• Government paid more than USD 20m, for securing the copyright and for terminating lease agreements.

Australian Aboriginal Flag

Australian Aboriginal Flag represents Aboriginal Australians. It is an officially proclaimed flags of Australia. It has special legal and political status along with the national flag and Torres Strait Islander Flag. This flag was designed by Harold Thomas in 1971. He was an Aboriginal artist, descending from Luritja people of Central Australia. He held the intellectual property rights to the design of flag, until January 2022. He has now transferred the copyright to the Commonwealth government. He designed the flag for land rights movement and it became a symbol of Aboriginal people of Australia.

Who are Aboriginal Australians?

Aboriginal Australians are Indigenous peoples of the Australian mainland and its islands like Fraser Island, Tasmania, Tiwi Islands, Hinchinbrook Island and Groote Eylandt. The term Indigenous Australians refers collectively to Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders. Most Aboriginal people speak English.