Henson Saga to End without Charges

SYDNEY—Photographer Bill Henson will not face charges over his photographs of nude children that have sparked a heated debate in Australia over the past month, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports. The photographs were seized from Sydney's Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery last month, and Henson's show shut down, after police received complaints about the nature of the work. But the director of public prosecutions has now said that there is no reasonable prospect of conviction.

"It has been profoundly humbling to witness the depth of support for my work in these past weeks," Henson said in a statement. Roslyn Oxley, the gallery director, responded to the Australians who have offered their support by saying, "These messages give us faith that our society is as we believe it [to] be — one that is open to frank debate and inquiry and not afraid to voice differing views."

The Classification Board has ruled that the photograph which initially sparked the controversy, featured on the show's invitation, is not pornographic, and has given it a PG rating. In response to the board's decision, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made it clear that he stands by his initial reaction, which was that the photographs are "absolutely revolting."