from 9 news by Larine Statham
A well-known Aboriginal activist has demanded the Reserve Bank of Australia pay damages to his family for using his great-uncle's image on the $50 note without permission.
Allan "Chirpy" Campbell, the great-nephew of David Unaipon, met with the Reserve Bank in Sydney on Thursday morning, alleging permission to use the indigenous inventor and author's image was given by someone posing as a relative.
"She is not the daughter of my uncle, and they won't delete her from their files," he said.
The 61-year-old from Murray Bridge in South Australia said the Reserve Bank never consulted with the real family and he had proof the woman was not a relative.
"They've got to renegotiate this time a proper settlement, not a tea leaf, sugar and flour syndrome, you know," he said.
"They've got no proof, no papers to show she is his daughter."
Mr Campbell said as well as seeking a "fair dinkum settlement" he put a further three demands to the Reserve Bank.
"My lawyer has got to be paid for ten years' work," he said.
"I want them to pay for the damages for what they put upon us and we want a re-enactment of the celebration of the $50 note ... in Adelaide.
"If they had of got the Mundine family or Cathy Freeman ... they would have also had to be forking out an arm and a leg for them, therefore this has got to be renegotiated.
"And then we'll give them permission for him to remain on the $50 note."
The Reserve Bank on Thursday evening confirmed they had held talks with Mr Campbell but would not give any further details about the meeting.
John Campbell said he fully supported his older brother's plight.
"Chirpy called and said the bank said they would give the family nothing, no compensation," he said.
"He's going to talk to his lawyer tomorrow."
A lifelong campaigner for Aboriginal rights, Mr Campbell was instrumental in the 1972 tent embassy built on the lawns of parliament house, and earlier this year also built a smaller version of the symbolic event in Adelaide's western parklands.
Posted 11/27/2008 12:51 pm
I suppose people look at these issues differently.
