though acertainblindness is a sharing of my photographic work, it is also a sharing of who i am and way that i see the world. in this space, it is expressed as a visual (and sometimes written) exploration of themes and a number of long-term recurring projects.

but there are things that make who i am, and my photographic vision, which can not always be expressed as photographs in the immediacy of the moment.

on friday 21 july 2013, the prime minister of australia announced a new policy for those who attempt to seek asylum in australia via boats. and i was appalled. actually, i’ve been appalled at the way in which politics has shat for over a decade, and continues to shit, over human beings who assert their right (both ethical and legal) to seek refuge from persecution and fear of death.

the new policy announcement means that asylum seekers who arrive in australia (and australian territorial waters) by boat will be deported to papua new guinea and neither processed in australia, nor settled in australia. that is, it is no longer possible to seek asylum via boat in australia. and that’s fucked. for a whole range of reasons.

others have addressed the legal, ethical and political ramifications of this policy, and many are rightly furious, ashamed and disgusted at this cruel and most foul-smelling asylum seeker policy. in my politically aware lifetime, this sets a new low (though, politics being what it is - i’m aware that the next iteration of policy may be even more cruel.)

since saturday, the government has blanketed the australian print media with this ad (click to see) and i want to make clear, by jamming the ad, that this is not in my name. that this policy is fucked. that i disagree, reject and wholeheartedly say no to this barbaric policy.

i want to make clear that asylum seekers are welcome here in australia, always.

i want to make clear that seeking asylum here in australia is legal, always.

and i want to make clear that as a settler colony nation-state, that it’s filthy business to project anxieties that surround unresolved reconciliation and indigenous sovereignty issues on to asylum seekers who arrive by boat.

and so, kevin, get fucked.

you are free to use, change, modify, post, blog, reblog, share this image as you see fit. if you want an a2 size version of this image, send me a message and i’ll send you the file.

avaaz is hosting a petition, not in my name, which you can add your name to here

getup has a quick and easy system to email your local parliamentary member here

rise refugees survivors and ex-detainees is a fierce melbourne based group fighting the good fight

signal boost.

always welcome, always legal

suspended

i had been walking around and he asked me where i was from

australia

ah, he said, christmas island

yes

so close, he said

and yet so far away

i thought