Polls

In politics there is no getting away from the importance of the polls. Polls measure public support for party’s and politicians, with the ultimate poll being the general election. Pickering and Pryor’s cartoons often expose nervous politicians trying desperately to interpret what the polls are saying. Sometimes they misread them and head off to an election too soon. On other occasions they resist going to election knowing all too well what the result would be.

Top: Pryor suggests that by the time Pauline Hanson recorded her message to the nation she was already effectively dead in political terms.

Bottom: In 1975 Malcolm Fraser attempts to use his numbers in the Senate to Block Supply of Government money in an effort to force Whitlam to the polls.