"Like any flag, it has a certain sacred quality to all of those people who have given it meaning. It's that long history of Aboriginal use that has given it the meaning it has today. It is a uniting symbol for Aboriginal people. It's a symbol that gives Aboriginal people pride in their cultural identity. How do we preserve the great cultural symbolism of the flag and overcome the taint that the commercial use of it has resulted in but at the same time respect Harold Thomas's legal rights in it?"

More than 50 years after it was first flown, the Aboriginal flag finally belongs to the Australian people. The designer has agreed to transfer copyright to the Commonwealth for $20 million. Meaning anyone can now use the image for free. Luritja artist Harold Thomas created the flag in 1971 to represent Aboriginal people and their connection to the land, but he maintained control of the copyright. "The Aboriginal flag is in a safe place where the commonwealth will protect and be the custodian of