Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House

Off the leash

2020 was going to be so good.

The economy was going to be 'back in black', and we were going to bring home gold from the Tokyo Olympic Games. But the Games were nixed, and the economic tide turned. By September Australia had entered its first recession in almost three decades. Globally, the picture was even worse. Here, eye-wateringly large stimulus packages were rolled out by state and federal governments. Our cartoonists were kept busy as industries were dubbed 'winners' or 'losers' in the cash splash.

A devastated Melbourne cityscape. Daniel Andrews holds a 'COVID-19 plan stage 4 extended paper' and says to another man, 'We can't stop now... we've almost got this thing flattened'.

Almost Got This Thing Flattened

Mark Knight, Herald Sun, 7 September 2020

A tiered cake with 'Back in black' written on it sits on a table with balloons next to a red tree in the Parliament House courtyard. Cake says, 'Should I jump out now? Hello?' Text at the top: 'A poignant moment beneath the budget tree'.

Having Your Cake

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper, 14 May 2020

Multiple panels outlining Scott Morrison's performance as prime minister during the pandemic. Title reads: 'Welcome to Comrade Morrison's glorious dawn of socialism!'

Comrade Morrison

First Dog on the Moon, The Guardian Australia, 3 April 2020

Scott Morrison throws money out of a bag towards people. He looks behind him. Kevin Rudd wears a 'Kevin 07' T-shirt and says, 'You look like you've seen a ghost!'

The Ghost of Kevin

John Shakespeare, The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, 5 March 2020

A man holds the door open to a person holding a 'Recession' wreath, welcoming him in. Inside the room are crises of 2020, including COVID, bushfires and toilet paper hoarding.

Recession

Warren Brown, The Daily Telegraph (Sydney), 4 June 2020

Scott Morrison walks through an arts and theatre precinct with another man. Everything is closed or cancelled. Morrison says, 'I don't know much about art, but I know I don't like funding it'.

Cancelling Culture

Fiona Katauskas, Eureka Street, 11 August 2020

Scott Morrison, pictured as a toddler, takes letters from a tower that spells 'Job Keeper 4 Child Care Workers'. A woman holds up her hands to try to stop the tower falling.

Talking Back the Support

Chris Downes, The Mercury (Hobart), 9 June 2020

Josh Frydenberg and Scott Morrison on a boat sing, 'We're all in this together'. A 'JobKeeper' man stands underwater holding a 'Jobless' man above the water. A young person and a casual worker drown nearby.

We're All in This Together

Alan Moir, The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, 16 May 2020

A parent says to a child in a bombed out room surrounded by war, 'So because the future looked poorer and more dangerous, we spent, and I concede in hindsight this wasn't thought through, all our money on missiles.'

The Long-Range Forecast

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper, 4 June 2020

Scott Morrison and Sally McManus sit in a fairground ride. The ride operator says, 'I've seen a lot of odd couples before... but nothing like this.'

The Odd Couple

Mark Knight, Herald Sun, 27 May 2020

Scott Morrison sits in an FJ Holden. It does not have wheels, and is up on bricks. Number plate is 'How good'.

How Good Was Holden?

John Shakespeare, The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, 23 February 2020

Cash rains down on rich people from a golden 'Tax cuts' fountain. Behind a bollard, a mother says to her child, 'Now we just wait for it to trickle down.'

Going with the Flow

Fiona Katauskas, Eureka Street, 7 October 2020

Josh Frydenberg is on a quiz show. His response to every question is 'Tax cuts'.

Mastermind

Cathy Wilcox, The Sydney Morning Herald, 4 September 2020

Scott Morrison puts an 'Australian manufacturing' saddle on a 'High energy costs' crocodile. Morrison says to Josh Frydenberg, who sits beside him, 'And you're sure this is ok?' Frydenberg says, 'In theory... yes'.

Snap Back Economics

John Spooner, The Australian, 19 May 2020