The coppers have been told to get Bill Henson’s pictures back where they belong, but you’d never know.
You’d hardly even realise they’ve been told by the DPP there's insufficient evidence to prosecute photographer Bill Henson over his now famous pictures.
The same media that a fortnight ago was splashing the story across their front pages are suddenly relegating it to the bottom of page three.
Sydney’s Daily Telegraph, which - with a page one news story labelled the police raid on the gallery displaying Henson’s work as “a victory for decency” - has suddenly gone all silent.
Even its editorial today was strangely mute on the issue. Instead it encouraged us to thank the Queen for our Monday morning sleep in this long weekend.
And the Sydney Morning Herald, who kicked the whole thing off by publishing rightwing rabble-rouser Miranda Devine’s attack on Henson has also let the story slide underneath an important yarn on The Sex And The City premiere.
Nary an apology nor a mea culpa from their end.
Perhaps because since then there’s been a story about real paedophilia with Wednesday’s federal police swoop where 90 people were arrested – one of them a federal police officer.
The hysterical media storm surrounding Bill Henson’s acclaimed work seems kinda ridiculous next to the momentous events of Wednesday, that could lead to the prosecution of some 1500 Australians.
But for the record, here’s what’s happened.
The DPP has told NSW police a prosecution of Henson was unlikely to succeed.
The Australian Federal Police have announced no charges would be laid over pictures in the Australian National Gallery.
And the Classifications Board has said an invitation to Henson’s exhibition was “justified by context” and is “not sexualised to any degree”. They’ve given it a PG rating.
So what’s left to do now?
Well, a downcast Mr Plod will probably have to drag the pictures, along with his knuckles, back to the Paddington gallery they came from.
And the media will quietly let the story go.
And probably so will Miranda Devine – without a hint of regret and ready to do it all again next week.
