The communist who raised me: photographer Ruth Maddison interrogates her father's Asio file

Wire taps and surveillance were everyday facts of life for Sam Goldbloom and his family. Now, his daughter reimagines that period of their lives in a major survey exhibition

From an early age, Ruth Maddison knew her father, Sam Goldbloom, was being watched. He used to tell us not to worry about the men sitting in the car in front of the house ... we were aware the clicks on the phone meant they' were listening too," the award-winning Melbourne-born photographer says.

They" were the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. In the 1940s, Goldbloom's anti-fascist ideals drew Asio's attention. He later joined the Communist party before becoming a major player in the World Peace Council. These associations made him a person of interest for more than 30 years.