[Stephen Brown]

Originally Posted by Mick M

These are commercial rates aimed at commercial photographers who sell images taken on the airport. The area bounded by Qantas Drive, General Holmes Drive and the eastern banks of the river and canal all form part of the SACL leased lands, that is the entire patch of dirt sits on Commonwealth land. SACL paid a gazillion kahunas to run the airport, and owns the buildings (with the exception of T3 and the jet base, but that's another story).

All the areas you refer to are public places. SACL own T1 and T2 and as owners can regulate activities. The other external areas are all public places, outside the magical line of demarcation called the fence (which has more significance for airport security legislation that the 49th parallel does in Korea).

The provisions in relation to security controlled and security restricted areas are significantly different outside the fence. This is not to say PC Plod can't ask you to leave ( Rule 1, don't argue with PC Plod............ever...........) however HM PC Plod enforces laws, not commercial arrangements that organisations may wish to apply to their operations.

Last time I checked the Control of On Airport Activities Act and regs, Crimes Act, Aviation Transport Security Act and regs, the Hairy Arsed Taxi Driver Act and a swag of others, nowhere is there a reference to regulation of photography in other than restricted areas. (Pull that stunt within the Customs Controlled Areas and you'll soon find that it is a fact that Customs Officers are born without the humour chromosome).

Therefore PC Plod is not a collector of revenues for commercial activities and will not stick beak into said issues in public places if no offences are detected. PC Plod in fact recognises that it is better to have extra eyes and ears in some of those places, and it is therefore not a good idea to antagonise such friendlies, unless ladders are on fences, fences being fiddled with, cars within 3m of the fence, yayayadayada..............

The same issues apply at Bankstown (or YSBK if we must!). However, and this is a big however.......... Refer to Nigel's post about airside photography. There are a number of folks who misuse their ASIC's for the purpose of loitering airside for photography. These images even get posted on this board occasionally. This is a breach of conditions of use and can get your ASIC revoked, as well as risking punitive action. Again, outside the fence, outside the Security Restricted Areas, there is no lawful reason not to take photographs (but review rule 1 further up the page!)

References to DOTARS are made by ill educated folk who try and bluff you by invoking the wrath of faceless public servants (who really don't give a tinkers cuss about planespotters). I'm sure it's just easier to say " DOTARS made me do it" rather than "We think you just annoy us, so we'd rather not have you here as we can't make dosh from you"

Why thank you Mick for that insightful intelligent non-emotional assessment of the overall situation. You sound like you know what your talking about.