"> Name: Norman Lindsay's "Redheap" becomes first banned novel in Australia

Date:  1926 - 1950

Location:  Australia

SubjectOther

MediumLiterature


Artist: Norman Lindsay

Confronting Bodies: Victoria authorities and influential individuals

Date of Action: 1930

Specific Location: Australia

Description of Artwork: "Redheap" is a comical novel that mocks country life in Australia. Lindsay based the work off his old hometown of Creswick, Victoria.



Description of Incident: Complaints from residents of Victoria that characters in the scandalous sections of the novel might be based on real people were sent to the Victoria police. This caused the Trade and Customs department to adopt the British method of judging obscenity (Which was based on the intent of the author to corrupt) to make a decision on the book.



Results of Incident: The attorney general did not find "Redheap" to be particularly indecent, but pressure from influential people in Victoria led to the book being banned anyway. The ruling was not to be repealed until the late 1950's.



Source: Censorship: A World Encyclopedia. Ed. Derek Jones. Chicago; London: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2001.

Submitted By: NCAC



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