[Leica] re: Right to Photograph (on Cth lands in Australia)

[Andrew Nemeth <azn@nemeng.com>]

Tina Marley wrote:


> As if we didn't have enough problems, look what is happening to 
> photography
> in Australia: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/rights.shtml


Mr Rains in that article overstates the problem.

Although in theory all Cth administered lands are subject to
the new laws, in practice they are not enforced except in
the case of Aboriginal lands, in which case - purely for
PC reasons - they are.  So there is more to this than a rights/
money grab by government.

For instance, take commercial shots in (say) the Blue Mountains
National Park or Tasmanian World Heritage reserve - no probs.
OTOH take a photo of Ayers Rock and the PC Police will be
hammering on your door at 3am.

<http://www.deh.gov.au/media/dept-mr/dp11aug03.html>

In Aug of this year such a photo by Wim Wenders was withdrawn
(suppressed?) in a photo exhibition at the Sydney Museum of
Contemporary Art due to the curator's wish to not offend
Indigenous Sensibilities.

<http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s920536.htm>

Love the phrase "deemed to be culturally inappropriate" in the
above URL.  Sort of like "rightist deviation from the party-line"
isn't it?...

:?)


Regds,

Andrew Nemeth
Blue Mountains  NSW   Australia
<http://nemeng.com>

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