KENNEDY MP, Bob Katter, has welcomed the Federal Government’s $20m purchase of the copyright of the First Australian (Aboriginal) flag, which means it is now freely available for public use.[1]

Mr Katter wrote to the Prime Minister in 2019 demanding that the Government buy the copyright for the flag or compulsorily acquire it.[2]

“This is another victory for the people,” Mr Katter said.

“We initiated this proposal three years ago and it has taken the Government three years to get there but we are deeply appreciative that they have.

“Our sporting bodies, our communities, our schools and our businesses should all be able to use the Aboriginal flag without fear of being issued a cease-and-desist notice or threatened with legal action. Today’s announcement restores things to where they should be.”

With the Aboriginal flag copyright issue resolved, Mr Katter is calling on the Federal Government to act to protect authentic First Australian artists and their work by setting up a proper certification and authentication process.

“We did a survey in Cairns and some 90 percent of the ‘aboriginal artefacts’ were in fact made in China, the Philippines or Indonesia,” he said.

“So not only were they not authentic but they were imported.

“Politicians look at this situation and do nothing about it. Once again, we plead with the Government to do the simplest of things and implement legislation that would set up an authority to certify authentic First Australian artwork. The legislation would also outlaw the sale of non-authentic First Australian artwork.”

[1] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-24/aboriginal-flag-copyright-transferred-to-commonwealth/100778324
[2] https://www.sbs.com.au/news/bob-katter-calls-on-pm-to-buy-indigenous-flag-rights-amid-copyright-saga/708b6546-a155-4973-bc2a-15de5feee43f