When thinking about the Aboriginal flag and copyright and the desire of the government to intervene to overturn the copyright protections owned by the flag’s creator, Luritja elder Harold Thomas, let us consider the case of Albert Namatjira.

Albert Namatjira, a Western-Arrernte man, was perhaps the first Aboriginal visual arts superstar. Painting in the European watercolour style he quickly became a celebrity and was able, at the peak of his fame and artistic power, to financially support huge numbers of close and distant family; a number estimated at around 600 during his life. He was not wealthy but his support was better than the nothing they had.