Break Glass

'Break Glass' by Cathy Wilcox is a cartoon published in the Nine Papers on the 24th of June 2024.  

The background is plain white, with a simple grey floor. 

In the top left corner, handwritten text says, 'Meanwhile in Australia…' 

To the left, a man with grey pants, a blue shirt and a tie, with a tuft of blonde hair, walks towards the centre of the image. Against the white wall is a glass-covered cabinet with a yellow whistle inside, and a hammer beside it. Black wall text on a yellow panel reads, 'In case of corruption or misconduct, break glass.' 

Further along the wall to the right is another yellow panel with black text that reads, '*Glass breakers will be prosecuted.' 

In the bottom right corner is the artist’s signature, 'Wilcox.' 

The label text, written by Chris Masters, reads: 

When I began reporting on corruption in Australia, there were few if any anti-corruption bodies. Now, although such authorities are prominent at state and federal levels, political ambivalence endures in opposition to freedom of information inquiries and whistleblower protection. This incongruity is cleverly reflected in Cathy Wilcox’s Walkley Award–winning cartoon.