Arts Freedom Australia rally,Campbell’s Cove, Sydney, Sunday 29 August

[Analog6]

Arts Freedom Australia (AFA) will hold a rally near Campbells Cove on Sydney Harbour on Sunday, August 29th between 10am and 12 noon to make the Australian public aware of this threat to our freedom of expression.

Australian photographers are losing their rights to that freedom of expression. Whether you are a full-time professional, part-time or strictly amateur, every person with a camera can be threatened by unjust laws and regulations.

“We must be the only country in the world where you could get a criminal record for taking a picture of a rock,” said Ken Duncan, the Chairman of Arts Freedom Australia.

So Ken is asking photographers and other concerned citizens to protest against the undemocratic regulations restricting film-making and photography in so many of our public places.

AFA has recently completed a comparative study of legislation and policies imposed on photographers and film-makers within Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States of America. The result of this study clearly demonstrates that the rights of Australian photographers and film-makers are being seriously affected by a myriad of rules and regulations imposing prohibitive restrictions, high fees, and bureaucratic application protocols.

By comparison, America’s national parks allow photography in all places where the public can access. What a refreshingly common sense approach – but it seems OUR bureaucrats are too greedy to allow common sense to the fore.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Australia signed in 1980) states everyone has the right to freedom of expression and the right to impart information and ideas of all kinds, whether in writing or print, in the form of art, or through any other media. So why are we being so restricted?

Landscape photographers such as Olegas Truchanas and Peter Dombrovskis helped to foster our pro-conservation mindset, while photographers like Max Dupain produced iconic images which will be treasured for the future. Today they might not even be grated a permit to take those photos!

So if you want the opportunity and freedom to photograph Uluru, the national parks of New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, the Sydney Harbour Foreshore, Bondi Beach and other Aussie ‘icons’, without the onerous process of applying for a permit and paying overlarge fees, then you should attend and make your presence felt and your opinion known.

(There is a poster on my blog)

[Zac]

Good idea... we should have supporting rallies in other states!

[Paul G]

Sounds like a worthwhile rally. I like the t-shirts they're doing!.... "I'm a photographer not a criminal."

Ken Duncan's plea:-

[maccaroneski]

Sounds like a great idea for a dawn meet, breakfast, then rally.

[Analog6]

What a good idea Tony, just the thing for Sydneysiders.

And Zac, I had the same thought, if every capital and good sized city had a rally at the same time it might actually make an impact.

[jeffde]

Might even make the trip and make a weekend of it.
Have to talk to the boss (wife) though...
I don't seem to have much of a problem in Orange (at the moment) but i can see a time when we will.
I like the idea of a breakfast meet and then onto the rally ....

[maccaroneski]

I have put this in the NSW meets thread.

[Darey]

I'm definitely going to attend this meet.
I would like to wear the "I'm a Photographer not a criminal" T-shirt.
If not I will wear my T-Shirt which just says "Photographer"

I don't think Rick would like to see his AP shirts at a political rally.

[JeniNagy]

I think a dawn shoot, breakfast and rally would be great. I'd be in on it.

[Xenedis]

Sounds like a great idea for a dawn meet, breakfast, then rally.

I'd be up for that. I've known about the rally for a while and I plan to be there, but it would be good to go as a group.

[DavidG]

Be there with bells on!!

I feel this is so important for any Aussie photog that has any ambition to shoot in any public space.

[peterb666]

So if you want the opportunity and freedom to photograph Uluru, the national parks of New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, the Sydney Harbour Foreshore, Bondi Beach and other Aussie ‘icons’, without the onerous process of applying for a permit and paying overlarge fees, then you should attend and make your presence felt and your opinion known.

(There is a poster on my blog)

Do note there are no fees or permits required for non-commercial photography in National Parks in NSW. I checked only a month back and they are even happy with groups of photographers at no cost but if there are 40 or more they would like prior notice.

That came directly from the NPWS at Audley.

Approval and payment is only required for commercial photography. Mind you, I don't agree with that unless it is specifically for cost recovery of services provided (and I don't mean just issuing a permit). Every dog and his man (and bureaucratic body) is out to make a buck in Australia.

I think far more onerous are some the local councils but more than anything else, public attitudes in Australia need to be changed. The latter will be quite a challenge.

[Analog6]

Peter, I think the point Ken Duncan was trying to make was that even when he is taking photos for Tourism bodies, he has to pay a commercial fee. And he is just coming in with his fear and tripod, not bringing any big crew, nothing more than you or I would take for a day in the park.

[Mikepaus]

It certainly needs support I can't believe the rules and laws thes Pollie come up with to upsurp our democratic freedom. Ive certainly had my images deleted by over zealous police in third world african nation when taking picture of government businesses but I never thought the day would come when my own country would be worse than them. I will be there

MikeP

[Gremlin]

is there a faceborg group for this?

[GerryK]

I think the curious thing is this. If I am standing creating an image as an amateur next to a 'commercial' photographer creating an image of the same thing, I do not pay & they do. Now if my shot is brilliant and I decide to frame & sell a limited edition of 25; I am in trouble. If the commercial photographer makes or looses money they don't care cause they already have the money they paid for the privilege of taking the shot.
These seem to be same rules the AFL work with; if the AFL sense a photo of an AFL game/player/image being sold for commercial purposes by an unauthorised photographer, they set there legal team on to you with no remorse.

[arthurking83]

And the worst part is that if you live in Australia and don't get the required permits and profit from any images in a commercial manner they can(and most likely will!!) prosecute.
But if you're a foreign national, they can't do jack!

ie. they can only screw us Aussies... the people these stupid governments are supposedly serving!

..... maybe it's time to emigrate to Afghanistan!

My belief is that one day some ordinary Joe Schmoe will take them to task via the courts and it'll be found to be unconstitutional! ... not that I know anything about constitutional laws ... I only know that the citizens of Afghanistan and Iraq currently enjoy more freedom of expression and commercial opportunity .... compared to us stupid mugs that is!

So I can imagine the tariffs and charges... a single photographer looking to sell maybe 10 ... 20 copies of an image, gets charged $150 for this permit .. the mega million dollar hollywood backed blockbuster movie production company incorporating 20 mobile homes, 30 generator trucks, 50 gear trailers and a 3000 strong workforce trampling sensitive nature reserves ... they get a $25 parking permit charge that lasts for 12months!