Wisp said:
With a Privacy Act in the Australian law, you are correct but only to a certain extent. The act is there to provide people with a means to seek recourse (unlike S'pore which doesn't have a Privacy Act.) However, Aussies don't sue every Tom or Tan on a daily (or even weekly) basis just because they want to use this Act and claim violation of their privacy.
I'm sure if any Aussie (or even S'porean) is suspicious, they can approach you and ask why you shot the image. And if you have offended them, or caused them unease, the very least you could do was to offer them a copy of the image with your contact number, or else delete it. Since you're a tourist, they may accept the fact that you're just interested about the people and mannerisms of Aussies, and accept that you're just being what you are -- a tourist.
However, I must caution you. About 4-5 days ago, a newspaper in Melbourne ran a front page report again on the issue of privacy, especially with the use of mobile phone cameras (and actually any camera) at places where some privacy would be expected by people. Places such as change rooms, public pools, beaches, schools, etc. New laws are in the progress of being written to deal with handphone camera perverts (and any camera pervert) who shoot women and children.
Of course, the law will also take into account of situations where genuine photographers or people who have the right/consent to shoot photos, be excluded from legal implications. In all common sense, this law revision is being drafted for a simple reason. There are perverts (in S'pore, Australia, and everywhere else in the world) who abuse their cameras, and make our world so tough to live in (just like terrorists).
I was out on the street today photographing cafes in laneways. Nobody gave me the middle-finger, and nobody grabbed me by the collar. And since it's so cold in Melbourne, no bloke cheekily pulled down his pants to flash me his backside (I have encountered that) and no sheila lifted her blouse to flash me her boobs (I'm still waiting for that to happen). If there was anyone making a slight attempt of avoiding my camera, it was a couple of Asian girls.
If you really want shots of people, such as impromptu street portraits, then walk up and ask. I did that for about 2 years in Melbourne. Very roughly, 9 out of 10 Caucasians said yes, and 9 out of 10 Asians said no.
Just be extra careful when aiming at children, especially with the topic of handphone camera and any camera perverts causing the revision of current privacy laws. Ask first before shooting.
From a photographer friend who lives in Sydney, he has observed that a lot more people openly carry and use cameras in Melbourne than in Sydney. Really, I see Melbourne as a public camera parade.
