A bid to trademark the Aboriginal plant name Gumby Gumby has sparked outrage amongst the Aboriginal community and fueled talks for reforming Australian intellectual property laws.
A couple in central Queensland have filed for exclusive rights to the name, in a move Ghungalu elder Steve Kemp remarks is problematic for his people, as it prevents them for using their own assets for commercial purposes.
Under current intellectual property law, any Australian individual or company can apply for the rights to Aboriginal products or language.