Aboriginal artist who designed the Aboriginal flag to speak at revitalised Nugget Coombs Lecture on Larrakia country

The world-renowned Aboriginal artist who designed the Australian Aboriginal flag Harold Thomas, together with barrister Colin Golvan AM QC and solicitor Chrystal Dare, will jointly deliver the 10^th Nugget Coombs Memorial Lecture this year on Larrakia Country for the first time in three years.

The Nugget Coombs Memorial Lecture is jointly hosted by Charles Darwin University (CDU) and The Australian National University (ANU) as part of a renewed agreement to deliver the lecture.

It will be in the form of a panel with a story-telling format of how Mr Thomas conceived and created the iconic Aboriginal Flag. He will also discuss the role of the Aboriginal Flag in the future.

Created over 50 years ago, the flag Mr Thomas created is now well-known world-wide as a symbol of the First Nations of Australia. Its purchase by the Commonwealth from Mr Thomas in 2022 represents the highest price ever paid for an individual piece of art in Australia.

“The Flag represents the timeless history of our land and our people’s time on it,” Mr Thomas said.

“It is an introspection and appreciation of who we are. It draws from the history of our ancestors, our land, and our identity and will honour these well into the future.”

CDU Deputy Vice-Chancellor First Nations Leadership, Professor Reuben Bolt, said the Memorial Lecture co-hosted by CDU perpetuates the important work of Australian economist and nation-building public servant Dr Herbert Cole ‘Nugget’ Coombs.

“The Lecture honours the work of Dr Coombs, who is remembered as a powerful, influential advocate for First Nations people,” Professor Bolt said.

“It provides a forum to continue Dr Coombs’ legacy in Indigenous Affairs, with emphasis on establishing and advancing relationships with First Nations communities, especially listening to, and respecting their priorities.

IP barrister at the Victorian Bar Colin Golvan AM QC (who has acted in numerous copyright infringement cases for Aboriginal artists) represented Mr Thomas in his authorship dispute in the 1990s.

Mr Golvan together with IP Special Counsel Chrystal Dare of Corrs Chambers Westgarth Solicitors also represented Mr Thomas in the recent assignment of copyright in the Aboriginal flag to the Commonwealth.

Together, they will join Mr Thomas in the panel discussion.

The Nugget Coombs Memorial Lecture was last held in October 2019, delivered by Hon Linda Burney MP, and provides an opportunity to discuss current issues faced by Australia's First Nations people to advance community understanding of these important issues.

Nugget Coombs (1906 -1997) was Chancellor of the Australian National University from 1968-76.

As Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, Coombs took steps to ensure that First Nations Yolngu artist David Malangi Daymirringu was recognised and compensated for the use of his artwork in the design of the $1 banknote.

The inaugural HC (Nugget) Coombs North Australia Lecture was first held in September 1996, delivered by then Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Mick Dodson.

The lecture will be held on Friday, September 9 at the Mal Nairn Auditorium at CDU’s Casuarina campus from 4pm to 5pm. Register here or view the livestream here.