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Behind the Lines

Away from centre court

In Australia, we are used to the football codes dominating the back pages of the newspapers, week in, week out. But occasionally other events, such as the Olympics and the various world cups, steal the headlines for a week or two.

Issues that caught the attention of our cartoonists this year included business bogeys, such as the collapse of Rex Airlines and accusations of price-gouging by Australia's two major supermarket chains. Other plays that caught the eye of the umpires included government own goals, such as the National Anti-Corruption Commission handing down its finding on the Robodebt scandal, and trade union technical fouls, such as the allegations of corruption within the CFMEU.

As ever, Australia's political cartoonists were on hand to call the plays from the commentary box, and to point out unsporting behaviour.

A man looks down at a small ant hill and says, 'It's the Greens, infighting.'

Greens Infighting

Alan Moir, Self-published,

A staffer presents Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with an Australia Day t-shirt and says, 'This might help with your falling poll numbers.' He says, 'You beauty, should I disown it, criticise it, or disparage it?' Another staffer says, 'Maybe try wearing it.'

Wearing Thin

Brett Lethbridge, The Courier-Mail,

Stressed Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci sits in the self-checkout area, where a scanner says, 'Unexpected item in the bagging area.'

Spillage in Self-checkout

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

A family play a Monopoly-like boardgame called 'Duopoly'. Text reads, 'Not fun for the whole family' and 'Go directly to Woolies or Coles. Do not pass any other supermarkets. Do not collect ungouged goods.'

Let the Buyer Beware

Fiona Katauskas, The Guardian Australia,

Treasurer Jim Chalmers shows off the new improved competition watchdog, represented by a giant dog with one new tooth.

Implant

Andrew Dyson, Nine Papers,

A crossing labelled 'Bondi Junction' has three paths: valour, with a policewoman holding a gun; heartbreak, with emergency staff trying to revive a patient; and infamy, with a man holding a bloody knife.

Bondi Junction

Johannes Leak, The Australian,

A 3-panel comic lists AI's Actual Hazards. The first is 'Revealing Human Prejudices/frailties,' with a man attempting to search beautiful women and only coming up with blonde Caucasian women; then 'Threatening Fragile Human Egos,' where a woman laments the 'smart-arse, little, digital shit'; then 'Highlighting Lack of Human Discernment,' where people admire an AI version of the Last Supper, but with dogs.

AI's Actual Hazards

Andrew Weldon, The Big Issue,

The current Dr Who actor, Ncuti Gatwa, and his companion, land the TARDIS in the Jurassic period, where a pterodactyl labelled 'Cumberland City Council' drops same-sex books and a library into a volcano. The Doctor says, 'My apologies! I could've sworn we dialled up 21st century Australia…'

Looks Like a Case for the New Doctor

David Pope, The Canberra Times,

Journalist Laura Tingle is on the stand next to a judge in an ABC booth. The judge says, 'Ms. Tingle, you are charged with the crime of stating that water is wet. What say you?!'

Water is Wet

Nordacious, Instagram,

In a graveyard, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pats a small dog labelled NACC, who is sniffing at the bottom of a much larger, angry-looking robot with the Centrelink logo on its chest.

Robodog

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

A judge dangles precariously from high up on a construction site, and says, 'For gorsake stop laughing, this is serious.' A CFMEU worker holds the judge's legs and says, 'Who's laughing?'

For Gorsake, Stop Laughing

Dean Alston, The West Australian,

A 4-panel comic shows two people looking at a CFMEU construction site. They ponder what manly, sexy and dangerous things the workers are saying. The worker says, 'Remember guys, an injury to one is an injury to all.'

An Injury to All

Aaron Billings, Paris End,

A colourful, cluttered poster explains the current state of university students working unpaid placement hours to get their degrees, resulting in many not finishing their degrees. In the centre, students run to a finish line while trying to avoid dangerous obstacles.

Unpaid Student Placements

Sam Wallman, Overland,

Text reads, 'Airport slots.' A large Qantas plane whistles and holds up a hand at a small Rex plane, which veers off to the side.

Slot Hoarding

Matt Golding, Nine Papers,

A long 6-panel comic lists unexpected things, such as former Prime Minister Scott Morrison joining a Tibetan monastery. The final panel reads, 'A noisy passenger in a quiet carriage is gaffer-taped by the guard and his phone doused in lighter fluid and ritually burned. A spokesperson for Transport NSW states, 'We feel this was a proportionate response.'

Unexpected Events

Philip Somerville, Line of Thought,

Two men with overgrown beards and large signs on their chests that say 'No longer obsessing that the end is nigh' and 'Eschewing any evidence that we're all doomed!' One says, 'We've both been so much more relaxed since embracing news avoidance.'

No News Is Good News

Fiona Katauskas, The Guardian Australia,

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