Friday, November 28, 2008

Hitting a sour note














Allan "Chirpy" Campbell, a well-known Aboriginal activist has been reported to demand the Reserve Bank of Australia to pay damages to his family for using his great-uncle David Unaipon's image on the $50 note without permission. 

Well, apparently there was permission given but Campbell is insisting the person who gave that permission was an impostor and therefore it is as good as no permission was given. 

In addition to seeking a "fair dinkum settlement", Campbell is also demanding his lawyer be paid for ten years of work, his family to be paid for damages done to them, and a re-enactment of the celebration of the $50 in Adelaide. 

I am (a bit) perturbed by this sorry episode. I may be (again, a bit) slow this morning but what on earth damage is Campbell talking about? That he and his family had miss out on the gravy boat of selling Unaipon's image, having been beaten to it by the alleged impostor? If so, why didn't he throw his hissy fit back then? Why spend ten years of suffering (sic) before going to the press? Why not eleven years, twelve, thirteen . . . ?

Campbell's brother John was quoted by the media as saying, "Chirpy called and said the bank said they would give the family nothing, no compensation . . .  he's going to talk to his lawyer tomorrow"

Sigh.

It seems to be the cure-all for anything these days, is money. Just show (us, them, whatever) the money. Good bloody grief. Greed knows no bounds. I wonder how much would a "fair dinkum settlement" be worth nowadays.

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