Labor says government should investigate controversial Aboriginal flag copyright deal

[danieldemol]

Labor's spokesperson for Indigenous Australians says there should be scrutiny of the deal which handed the copyright of the Aboriginal flag to a privately-owned company.

Labor MP Linda Burney has called for the federal government to intervene after a number of groups were sent letters and bills over their use of the Aboriginal flag.

"I am incredibly concerned about the uncertainty around the Aboriginal flag," Ms Burney told SBS News on Tuesday.

"The Aboriginal flag is a national symbol. It is recognised by everyone in this country. And the idea that it can be privately owned by a company to me just does not seem right."

Read more here:
Labor says government should investigate controversial Aboriginal flag copyright deal

 

[Lyndon]

too right, mate!!

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

clearly a very bad idea.

 

[Lyndon]

the problem is the aboriginal designer of the flag sold the rights to some ahole company

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

that is like a composer selling the rights to a national anthem.????
There are somethings that should be free to use.

 

[Revoltingest]

that is like a composer selling the rights to a national anthem.????
There are somethings that should be free to use.

Government could buy the rights to the flag.

 

[Lyndon]

How would you like it if someone sold your American flag to the highest bidder??

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Government could buy the rights to the flag.

Any one who commissions a flag with out obtaining the rights to it is incompetent.

 

[Revoltingest]

How would you like it if someone sold your American flag to the highest bidder??

Wouldn't bother me in the least.
It would be an opportunity to get a newer better flag.
But if someone designed a flag, & copyrighted it, they'd own it.
If someone else wants to own it, they should buy it.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Who owns the Rights to the Stars and Stripe anyway.
One could ask the same question of the union Jack.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Wouldn't bother me in the least.
It would be an opportunity to get a newer better flag.
But if someone designed a flag, & copyrighted it, they'd own it.
If someone else wants to own it, they should buy it.

In the UK you do not have to register a design to own the copyright.(we do not even have a mechanism to do so) it automatically belongs to the author. thereafter he can assign or sell it as he pleases. However if it is commissioned the copy right might be part of the deal, in part or whole. Likewise if a design is made as part of employment it will most probably belong to the employer, though the actual author does hold some rights. (such as to be credited as the author)

 

[Revoltingest]

In the UK you do not have to register a design to own the copyright.(we do not even have a mechanism to do so) it automatically belongs to the author. thereafter he can assign or sell it as he pleases. However it it is commissioned the copy right might be part of the deal, in part or whole. Likewise if a design is made as part of employment it will most probably belong to the employer, though the actual author does hold some rights. (such as to be credited as the author)

Parenthetical aside....
If someone here commissions an architect to design a building,
the buyer has the right to put up the building. But typically the
architect owns the plans / design.
This came up when some investors sold the land without having
erected the building. The buyer mistakenly thought the plans
came with the land. Not!