G20: Anger over burning of Australian flag

The Queensland Premier has spoken about a group of Indigenous protesters who burned the Australian flag during heated demonstrations at the G20 summit in Brisbane.

Campbell Newman says while he respects the right to protest, he does not condone flag burning.

Around 100 people gathered at the Roma Street Forum on Sunday, forming a circle and listening to speeches from prominent leaders.

Six flags were then paraded in front of the crowd before being set alight to chants of "resist, revive, decolonise."

The activists then ignited effigies of Aboriginal leaders Warren Mundine, Noel Pearson and Marcia Langton, who they labeled as sell outs.

The protesters are angry over recent comments from Prime Minister Tony Abbott about Australia’s history.

In an address to federal Parliament in Canberra on Friday, Mr Abbott said Australia was ‘nothing but bush’ before the arrival of the first fleet.

His comments have enraged many Indigenous people, who are calling on Mr Abbott to apologise.

"It wasn't desolate. It was built on the blood and bones of our warriors," activist Wayne Wharton told the crowd.

Some social media users labelled the burning of the flag “outrageous” and “disrespectful."

There were also calls for the act to be made illegal.

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Protesters and police sweated through a scorching day in Brisbane on Sunday, with temperatures exceeding 38 degrees.

The heat wave is being driven by northwesterly winds, which could also pose a problem for firefighters who are battling a number of blazes across the state.

By Monday, with most world leaders gone, a southeasterly change should bring some relief.