The tricolour boomerang, which is the label of authenticity for Aboriginal
Art, is part of an administrative dispute between the Sydney-based
National Indigenous Arts Advocacy Association (NIAAA) and its two federal
funders.

The label, initiated three years ago, is a certification Indigenous people
have genuinely produced the artworks.

But both the Australia Council and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Commission, which have collectively given NIAAA more than $2
million in an eight-year period have stopped their funding over claims the
group has failed to look after Aboriginal cultural rights.

Phillippa McDermott, public affairs manager for ATSIC, says the main aim
is to ensure the label continues.

"Unfortunately NIAAA has taken a very long time to progress the label, a
lot longer than we'd expected, and we had some problems with the review,"
she said.

"Therefore we had to cease their funding and we will be looking to try and
forward the label with another organisation as, you know, the label still
exists."