photo: Pixabay
The Australian government has bought the Aboriginal flag's copyright in a bid to "free" the symbol of identity from bitter fights over who can use it.
Indigenous artist Harold Thomas created the flag in 1971 as a protest image but it is now the dominant Aboriginal emblem and an official national flag.
Despite this, many Aboriginal people say the flag has been "held hostage" by copyright deals that limit its display.
The flag can now be reproduced by anyone without fear of legal threats.
"Over the last 50 years we made Harold Thomas' artwork our own - we marched under the Aboriginal flag, stood behind it, and flew it high as a point of pride," said Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt.
"Now that the Commonwealth holds the copyright, it belongs to everyone, and no-one can take it away."
The government paid more than A$20m (£11m; $14m) in total to secure the copyright from Mr Thomas and to terminate lease agreements, media reports said.
Full text available here: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-60120997