MoAD is open. There may be building works during your visit. Learn more

Behind the Lines

Salary caps

In May the government delivered the federal Budget — its version of a sporting team's salary cap. The postmatch media analysis of the Budget broke down the winners and losers.

Among the winners, according to the pundits, were taxpayers (recipients of the stage 3 tax cuts), businesses marketing renewable energy, bill-paying households and low-income renters. High-income earners, NDIS-recipients and -providers, universities and international students may have to look forward to a better season next year.

Housing affordability and the cost-of-living crisis continued to dominate headlines. We got circuses, both sporting and political, but many of us just needed the bread. Not helping things was higher-than-expected inflation, which led to threats by the Reserve Bank to increase interest rates.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia Michele Bullock sit in a wagon labelled 'Australian Economy,' which is pulled by a dead horse. Bullock shoots a gun labelled 'rate rises' at a dragon with 'inflation' across its back.

Riding Shotgun

Brett Lethbridge, The Courier-Mail,

Treasurer Jim Chalmers knocks on the door of a woman in a dressing gown. He holds a ribbon-wrapped 'federal budget', roses, champagne, and a kitten. The woman says, 'I will not fall for that old early election sweetener trick again.. I will not'. In the bottom right a separate panel shows the woman looking lovingly downwards and exclaiming 'A kitten!'

I Will Not Fall for That Trick Again

Mark Knight, Herald Sun,

A tour guide says, 'Careful… they get very territorial this time of year.' In front of him is a 'beware of crocs' sign, and swimming in the river are Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce, Liberals leader Peter Dutton and Liberals MP Angus Taylor.

Croc Season

Harry Bruce, The Cairns Post,

Text reads, 'Gina Rinehart inspects her rebate for $300.' Mining magnate Rinehart leans over a microscope.

Gina's Bill Relief

Matt Golding, Nine Papers,

A man on a ladder which reads 'Cost of Living' looks up at an unreachable, unlit ceiling light. A man hands him a globe and says, 'Here's your one-off government issued light globe to help you during this financial crisis.'

Highs and Lows

Chris Downes, The Mercury (Hobart),

Text reads, 'The Australian Dream Heritage Listing.' People try to navigate an MC Escher-like maze of stairs, with labels like 'Investor tax incentives' and 'Own someone else's home!' One person says, 'And how does it go as shelter?' another says, 'For tax and generational wealth, mainly!'

Australian Dream Heritage Listing

David Pope, The Canberra Times,

A couple talk to a medical professional under a sign that reads 'Family Planning.' One shelf behind them is full of birth control methods. The medical professional says, 'And these aren't technically contraceptives but they do stop people from getting pregnant…' while pointing to a shelf full of blocks that read, 'News, cost of living soars, housing to stay unaffordable, hottest day ever, pervasive sense of doom remains.'

Not Kid's Stuff

Fiona Katauskas, The Guardian Australia,

A long First Dog on the Moon comic explains the Centrelink crisis through small animal characters. A man named Mark has his Centrelink payments cut while he has brain surgery.

Centrelink Brain

First Dog on the Moon, The Guardian Australia,

A group of people look up at the sky. Animated houses fly by, their roofs flapping like wings.

High Prices

Glen Le Lievre, The Australian Financial Review,

A politician stands at a podium. Many of his speech bubbles overlap, things like 'We know you're doing it tough' and 'The system is broken.' He leaves, and people take his words, and try to assemble the letters into a makeshift shelter.

Only Words

Megan Herbert, Nine Papers,

A young child in an AFL uniform lies in his bedroom, surrounded by posters from betting companies.

Betroom

Glen Le Lievre, Eureka Street,

You may also be interested in...

1916: Conscription

1916: Conscription

Australians were asked to vote on whether men in National Service could be deployed to fight in World War One.

1967: Indigenous affairs

1967: Indigenous affairs

What is a double dissolution?

What is a double dissolution?

Everything you need to know about a double dissolution.

Audio described cartoons

Audio described cartoons

Hear audio descriptions of political cartoons from Behind the Lines exhibitions.

Cartoonists

Cartoonists

Browse all cartoonists featured in Behind the Lines.

Collection

Collection

Our collection captures the ideas, movements, people and events of Australian democracy.