Select Committee on the Aboriginal Flag

October 2020

© Commonwealth of Australia 2020
ISBN: 978-1-76093-126-1

View the report as a single document:

View the report as separate downloadable parts:

Foreword

Members

Recommendations

Chapter 1—Introduction

  Referral and conduct of the inquiry
  Current negotiations
  Acknowledgements
  Note on references
  Structure and scope of this report
  Legal framework for copyright law in Australia
  National flags of Australia

Chapter 2—The birth and significance of the Aboriginal flag

  Petition by the Australian Aborigines' League
  Day of Mourning
  Federal Council for Aboriginal Advancement
  The right to vote
  Yirrkala Bark Petitions
  Freedom Ride
  Wave Hill Walk-Off
  The 1967 Referendum
  The birth of the Aboriginal flag
  Aboriginal Tent Embassy
  Mabo case
  Native Title Act 1993
  Declaration as a Flag of National Significance
  Consideration by the Federal Court
  Effect of the proclamation on copyright

Chapter 3—The Aboriginal flag in contemporary Australia

  Role of NAIDOC
  The Aboriginal flag in sport

Chapter 4—The current dispute

  Conduct of licensees

Chapter 5—The future of the Aboriginal flag

  Compulsory acquisition
  A negotiated outcome
  Custodianship of the flag
  Future licensing structure
  A new ‘fair dealing’ exception
  A new flag

Chapter 6—Committee view

Additional comments from Senator Andrew Bragg

Additional comments from the Australian Labor Party

Additional comments from the Australian Greens

  Community involvement
  Commercial uses of the flag
  Resourcing and administration of flag permissions

Appendix 1—Submissions, additional information, answers to question on notice, tabled documents and published correspondence

Appendix 2—Public Hearings

Committee Secretariat contact:

Senior Clerk's Office
Department of the Senate
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Phone: 02 6277 3555
seniorclerk.committees.sen@aph.gov.au