For 50 years, I lived in a wide range of places around the world before finding my corner of paradise in Australia. I spent decades in the UK saving up for travel. I worked every holiday and weekend except one. No matter how broke I got, I could always hitchhike. Every year, like a dodgy pilgrim, I would jump the fence at the Glastonbury festival and escape into the biggest city of music on earth. I saw amazing things while simultaneously getting a first-hand experience of trench foot.

For 30 years, my hobbies turned into full-time jobs, first music, then poker, then photography. For the last 10 years, Bluesfest has allowed me to combine music and photography. When I am backstage, it feels like home, because I have walked in the shoes of everyone who makes the festival happen. If not in the crowd, I have been the sound engineer, promoter, roadie and booking agent. I have even been the poser on stage!

There is something inherently human about gathering around music at special times to celebrate life, but it goes deeper than us, Australia is where music began, songbirds evolved here and have been singing to the morning light long before humans existed anywhere on this planet… it sounds like I am coming out as a hippy for my 50th!.. why not? my pronouns are “hayman” and “dude”

Peace and Love.

Among the indigenous population, a series of corroborees occurred around Australia. In 2017 they culminated in a gathering at Uluru (Ayers Rock) with delegates from 100 Nations. After 4 days of collaboration, they produced “The Statement from the Heart” A single piece of text and art which would be given to the government instead of a chorus of voices. For people who never ceded their vast land, the statement contained seemingly modest requests; Voice, Recognition and Truth-telling.

Australia’s PM du jour was Malcolm Turnbull. His qualifications for the top job were, being a millionaire with media training and a willingness to write a 7 figure check to the Liberal Party’s election campaign. He was rare among Aussie Polies in talking about climate change but when it came to responding to the statement from the heart, He dismissed it completely. After leaving power he said that was a mistake and joined the Yes campaign. Prudent to judge actions, rather than words, especially with politicians.

Ignored for 5 years until Bluesfest 2022 and the then opposition leader Anthony Albanese, stepped on stage to introduce Jimmy Barns. Albo got a frosty reception and was booed immediately by a loud section of the large crowd. The Murdoch press may fail to mention the cheer he got later when he said he would take action on the statement. Speaking about the voice turned the crowd and saved him from complete humiliation. He was elected the following month, and in his acceptance speech, he confirmed he would put the Indigenous Voice to Parliament to a national referendum.

Political parties took predictable sides. The right of politics was against giving indigenous people a voice, and the left supported it. As the national debate continued the No Vote was joined by indigenous people who thought it did not go far enough. They believe by voting it down, Albo would be forced to go further. The promise of a perfect solution in a second referendum, which never happens, is a trick that has worked here before and resulted in this egalitarian nation continuing to stamp every coin with the owner of the world’s most expensive hat.

This image has been accepted by Shutterstock for Stock Photography and is available for download here.

One benefit of the Black Lives Matter movement has been to shine a light on parts of history not taught in school. The toppling of statues has done more to teach history in 2020 than anyone gained by staring at them.

My English education never mentioned the crimes of the Empire. Even fictional narratives reinforced a certain view of the world. As a child, I did not question a story which was designed to make me feel lucky to be a white male.

When I moved to Australia I got a different perspective. Churchill was not held up as a hero by all. Dig a little deeper and you will find his words and actions are uncomfortably close to the evil he so famously fought.

I currently in Kalgoorlie to photograph the mines and get some repairs done while planning a route to Darwin.

This image has been accepted by Shutterstock for Stock Photography and is available for download here.