His Master’s Voice

Drawing on the trademark image of record company His Master’s Voice, Will Mahony reacts to government censorship and immigration policies in the 1930s. In a deafening tirade he catalogues the cases of Mabel Freer, Egon Kitsch, Alfred Foster and Gerald Griffin. Kitsch and Griffin had been denied entry to Australia due to their political views. Freer, a white woman born in India, was excluded by the notorious dictation test and the political speeches of judge Alfred Foster had been censored by the government. Mahony argues that the right to free speech is being curtailed and drowned out by the loudest voices; the government and the Australian Broadcasting Commission.