Rights of Professional and Amateur Photographers

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This is a petition to represent the concerns of all professional and amateur photographers within Australia.

We are concerned by suggestions raised in a Federal Parliament working committee that suggest public places should become "camera free zones". (Sunday Telegraph 11 March 2007)

The reasoning behind this suggestion relates to the recent incidents involving sneak cameras, in particular mobile phones and hidden cameras. As serious photographers we take great offence at having our hobby and/or livelihoods placed into disarray at the actions of a small minority. As a group we fully support any action taken to prevent these "sneak photos" which are a blatant invasion of a person's privacy.

By signing this petition we are requesting the following points be considered by this or any future working committee or legislative group, within State or Federal Parliament:

1. That the rights of legitimate photographers as members of the community be given precedence over the rights of small minority groups.
2. That in all future working committees or discussion groups, fair and appropriate representation from photography groups and clubs be included.
3. That any future legislation, whether offence or machinery sections, clearly indicates that the rights of serious photographers to photograph in public places, including beaches, are not to be affected by any such legislation.

We urge our elected representatives to take these points into consideration and represent all members of the community, including photographers.

(note to those signing this petition - please elect to have your email address available to the author or public to enable further updates on this matter. Thank you.)

5051 Signatures

  • Ross M
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Canberra, ACT
    • Comments
    • Trying to prevent illegal activity by banning ALL activity is what happens in police states.
  • jon c
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Townsville, Queensland
  • Tony W
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Greystanes NSW
  • Brian K
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • NSW
    • Comments
    • Amateur photographer
  • Joy L
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Portland, Victoria
    • Web Page
    • www.shipspotting.com
    • Comments
    • I'd go back to stamp collecting if I couldn't photograph ships and trains!
  • Emma
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Newcastle, NSW
    • Comments
    • There needs to be tougher penalties for those who abuse people's privacy and not punishment for those who do the right thing !!
  • Mick S
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Seymour Vic
    • Web Page
    • http://eastwood-trains.fotopic.net/
  • John H
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • New South Wales.
  • Noel F
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Perth Western Australia
  • Graham C
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Fern Tree Gully
    • Comments
    • taking photographs today is recording history. Thank goodness photographers from past years did such a wonderful job of preserving history. Lets continue this important task.
  • David J
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Sydney NSW
    • Web Page
    • http://www.trainman.id.au
  • Dennis F
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • ACT
    • Comments
    • Photographing railways since 1962 here and overseas
  • Lindsay L
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Sydney NSW
    • Comments
    • Active railway photographer, contributer to railway magazines & books
  • Stephen S
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Glenrowan, Victoria
    • Web Page
    • http://s328.photobucket.com/albums/l354/Stephens_RailPics/
  • Andrew H
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Cherrybrook NSW
  • Robert W
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Ringwood North Victoria
    • Comments
    • Active railway and tramway photographer since 1961 and regular contributer to magazines
  • Paul N
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Ringwood Victoria
    • Comments
    • Amateur photographer for nearly 50 years
  • Grant F
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • NSW
    • Web Page
    • nil
    • Comments
    • We do need our rights to be clearly defined.
  • Geoffrey F. T
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Melbourne, Victoria
  • Steve H
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Boronia Victoria
    • Comments
    • Does this mean international tourists will be prosecuted for photographing our National Icons etc whilst on holiday?
  • Roger S
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Brisbane
    • Comments
    • I could not agree more with this petition.
  • Kym S
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Adelaide, South Australia
    • Comments
    • Photographers are innocent until PROVEN guilty!
  • steve
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • brisbane
  • Ross G
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Vic
  • James C
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Melbourne, Victoria
  • Leo K
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Barkers Creek, Victoria
  • Greg
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Adelaide SA
    • Web Page
    • N/A
    • Comments
    • What an absolute joke !!!!! We live in a free country do we not ??? As such it is called a democracy !!! Sadly, there are unscrupulous people who also live in our Country and use their democratic right to ruin it for others. If the proposed legislation be introduced; let it apply to the unscrupulous who ruin it for those who abide by their moral ethics and enjoy the art of photography.
  • Dave R
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Melbourne Victoria
  • Mark B
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Northcote, Victoria
    • Web Page
    • www.victorianrailways.net
  • John W
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Brisbane Queensland
  • rod d
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Melbourne Vic.
  • John K
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Melbourne, Victoria
    • Web Page
    • www.johnkirkphoto.com.au
    • Comments
    • Punish the offenders and don't prevent legitimate photographers from either doing their job, enjoying their hobby, or recording daily activities
  • Alan J W
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Heathmont Victoria
  • Tom M
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Adelaide, South Aust.
    • Comments
    • It is unlawful to discriminate against anyone in Australia, so why should photographers be different?
  • Alan M
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Melbourne Victoria
  • Trish B
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Parkes NSW
    • Web Page
    • www.fallinggum.com.au
  • Bernie B
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Parkes NSW
    • Web Page
    • www.fallinggum.com.au
    • Comments
    • When is enough, enough, First of all it is banning smoking in public now to not be able to take photos? I understand fully the 'sneak pictures'that are taken but come on some things still need to be public. Imagine how much history would be lost without pictures or film!
  • Danny B
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Vic
    • Web Page
    • taradalestudios.com.au
    • Comments
    • Why is it that the minorities seem to be taking over. We need to stop this
  • Nick A
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Melbourne, Victoria
    • Web Page
    • www.sierraustralia.com
  • Lynda H
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Edi, Victoria
  • David L
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Avenel, Victoria.
  • Robert L
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Sydney NSW
    • Comments
    • Photographers should be able to photograph in all areas that are not security sensitive under a series of regulations that are set for both professionals and amatuers alike.
  • Geoff L
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Albury NSW
  • Chris W
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Sydney, NSW
  • David M
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Geraldton, WA
    • Web Page
    • http://walocogallery.fotopic.net
    • Comments
    • I Agree with this Petition
  • William R
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Croydon North Victoria
  • Sohtaka K
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Sydney, NSW
  • John H
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Brisbane
    • Comments
    • I take train photos for rail magazines.
  • David P
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Sydney NSW
  • John F M
    • Are you a member of a photography club or group?
    • No
    • City and State
    • Oak Flats, NSW