Deal to ‘free’ Aboriginal flag welcomed – but questions remain

Campaigners say it is a relief that private companies are now out of the picture' but want to know how future custodianship will operate

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Campaigners who fought to free" the Aboriginal flag have welcomed the federal government's $20m deal to buy out the private companies who held exclusive licences over its use and charged Aboriginal community groups for permission.

But they say questions remain about its future custodianship, now that copyright rests with the commonwealth, and are asking exactly how much public money the non-Indigenous businesses were paid to relinquish their control.