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Behind the Lines

Audio described cartoons

Hear audio descriptions of political cartoons from Behind the Lines exhibitions. They are designed for people who are blind or have low vision but can be enjoyed by all visitors.  

Black and white audio description logo
The Earth is at the doctor saying, 'I've got hot flushes, burning sensations, wet patches, constant flare-ups in my conflict zones, and now my democracies are hurting.'

World of Hurt

Fiona Katauskas, The Guardian Australia,

Various world leaders skip over the top of a giant film projector. At the front, PM Anthony Albanese hops into the projector light.

Introduction

Matt Golding, Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House,

Liberal leader Sussan Ley drives a small biplane with deputy Ted O'Brien. Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price sits on one wing, weighing it down. Ley says, 'I'm having a real problem with my right wing.'

Trouble with My Right Wing

Mark Knight, Herald Sun,

MP Bob Katter takes off his giant Akubra hat, revealing an exploding volcano beneath.

Under the Hat

Brett Lethbridge, The Courier-Mail,

Text reads, 'Murujuga Pilbara region 50 thousand years old, and the oldest rock art on the planet threatened by acid emissions/pollution.' Over ochre art of animals on rocks, a large gas plant spills pollution into the air.

Untitled

Danny Eastwood, Koori Mail,

People and media crowd outside the Latrobe Valley Court, above it says, ‘One woman guilty of murder via mushrooms.’ Next door is an empty NT Coroner building, above it says, 'The entire Northern Territory police force bears the hallmarks of institutional racism that lead to the death of Kumanjayi Walker. '

Podcasts vs Justice

Jess Harwood, Instagram,

Against a backdrop of police in riot gear, two protestors in medical masks kiss.

LA Protests

Jess Kitty Parker, Instagram,

Activist Greta Thunberg stands at the bow of a boat wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh. Text reads, 'We are doing this because no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying, because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity - Greta Thunberg.'

Greta - Humanity

Nordacious, Instagram,

Two people watch TV. One says, 'I'm still undecided. What I need is an unsolicited text message from an insane far-right billionaire telling me how to vote.'

Unsolicited Text

Oslo Davis, The Saturday Paper,

A meteorite hurtles towards two dinosaurs. One asks, 'What's your number one issue?' The other says, 'Cost of living.'

The Cost-of-Not-Living Crisis

Matt Golding, Nine Papers,

Treasurer Jim Chalmers and PM Anthony Albanese talk to two kids. Chalmers says, 'Kids, we need to level with you. There's a lot going on in the world right now. There's a power crazy lunatic in the White House who threatens the world order, and even our way of life…' Albanese says, 'We might need to make some tough choices…' Chalmers says, 'Just kidding. Who wants cake and ice cream?'

Tough Choices

Cathy Wilcox, Nine Papers,

Two figures smile. One figure with a smiling blue brain says, 'What’s on your mind?' The other figure with a red brain labelled PANIC says, 'Nothing.'

PANIC

Shuturp, Instagram,

In a vintage-style illustration, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift holds up a wine glass and has a cat on her shoulder. Text reads, 'Childless cat lady.'

Childless Cat Lady

Nordacious, Instagram,

A woman climbs up a hill to a monk. She says, 'Oh wise one, should I give my last dollars to the tax-benefitted landlord who raises my rent without fixing my draughty windows, or the government-subsidised fossil-fuel company that offers expensive warmth today in exchange for climate chaos tomorrow?' The monk says, 'Sorry lady, I do moral contemplation. You need decent legislation.'

Legislative Failings

Megan Herbert, Nine Papers,

Text reads, 'Australians in Winter'. One person is wearing long pants, a jumper and sunglasses, labelled, 'Dressing for the outdoors.' Another person is rugged up in extra clothing, including a beanie, scarf and gloved, and labelled, 'Dressing for inside the house.'

Baby, It's Cold Inside

Jess Harwood, Instagram,

Text reads, 'Le Election de France… Gridlock.' French politicians Marine Le Pen, Emmanuel Macron and a cyclist labelled NFP are in a huge bicycle crash. They argue about whether to go left or right.

L'Election de France

Greg 'Smithy' Smith, The Nightly,

A man walks through a room. On the wall is a whistle behind glass with a sign that says, 'In case of corruption or misconduct, break glass.' Another sign says, 'Glass breakers will be prosecuted.'

Break Glass

Cathy Wilcox, 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),

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says, 'This is my policy, and it's up to the CSIRO to provide the evidence for why it's not viable.' He points to a picture of a winged unicorn.

Dutton's Policy

Cathy Wilcox, Nine Papers,

An adult and child in spacesuits leave a hatch that reads 'leaving violence, emergency payment' and reach towards a distant floating house.

Escape Hatch

David Pope, The Canberra Times,

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,

A person performs a 3-cup monte trick in a booth. The booth's sign reads: 'Spot a Visa. Now you see it, now you don't.'

Apply Here

Lindsay Foyle, New Matilda,

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and a naval officer re-enact the moment from Titanic where Jack stands behind Rose, on a large warship labelled '$11 billion warship upgrade'. Albanese says, 'Open your eyes,' and the naval officer says, 'I'm flying!'

The King of the World

Mark Knight, Herald Sun,

Two people joke about raking in profits while the world burns. Someone comes over to top up their champagne and says, 'Pity about the planet… haha, joking!'

Pity about the Planet

Judy Horacek, The Australia Institute,

Two rows with six almost-identical portraits of Peter Dutton in a suit. Top row is his 'old' image, bottom row is his 'new' image. He wears glasses in the 'new' portraits.

Dutton's New/Old Image

Alan Moir, The Sydney Morning Herald,

A colourful bus map representing the Robodebt Royal Commission.

Thrown under a Bus Route

Glen Le Lievre, The Australian Financial Review,

A sculpture of a person's face with white smoke coming out of their mouth, saying, 'Don't stress! I'm not vaping... It's been so cold... but we can't afford to put the heater on.'

Don't Stress! I'm Not Vaping...

Van Nishing, Self-published,

A piece of paper representing ten billion dollars is folded, then cut into small pieces and thrown in the air as confetti by Anthony Albanese.

$10 Billion Housing Australia Future Fund

Gorkie, Crikey,

Entitled 'Uneasy lies the head...' King Charles wears a large purple crown. On the crown there is a list of uncomfortable truths about his past and the British monarchy.

Coronation

Cathy Wilcox, The Sydney Morning Herald,

Two people in a boat harpoon a giant sea-creature with Donald Trump's face. One says to the other, 'Another indictment! Quick!'

Thar He Blows!

Andrew Dyson, The Sydney Morning Herald,

A figure in bed holds a pillow over its globe for a head as it hits the snooze button on a bedside alarm, saying 'Five more minutes'. The alarm is called 'Climate change report'.

Snooze Button

Harry Bruce, Rockhampton Morning Bulletin,

Entitled 'Life imitates art', a woman lying down covered with paper, says 'Everything, everywhere all at once...'

No Hollywood Ending

Fiona Katauskas, The Echidna,

A white figure at a counter asks, 'Can you please explain the nuances of an Indigenous Voice to Parliament... jargon jargon...' The black figure behind the counter replies with a cup, 'Here is your order'.

Long Black History

Kamsani Bin Salleh (Kambarni), Self-published,

Two panels showing how cartoonists draw government ministers the day before and the day after the new arts package. Before: four unflattering caricatures of politicians. After: same politicians with flattering caricatures.

Everyone Has Their Price

Megan Herbert, Self-published,

A man holding books talks to a woman in a library. He says, 'We've moved a few things around. Travel books are in the Fantasy section, politics is in sci-fi, and epidemiology is in self-help. Good luck.'

New Categories

Megan Herbert, Self-published,

The states and territories are in the shape of people's faces. They are in separate windows in a house called, 'Oz'. It is nighttime. The moon is in the shape of the COVID virus.

Full House

Glen Le Lievre, The Australian,

A bust of Scott Morrison. A 'Sexual assault petition' book, COVID-19 phone, and a hose are all trying to be handed to him.

The PM of No Responsibility

Jim Pavlidis, The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald,

Scott Morrison and Barnaby Joyce are on 'Scomo's Reef-Coloured Glasses Tours' boat. Divers underneath point to dead coral. Big boats in the background emit black smoke.

Reef-Coloured Glasses

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg walk away from a group of children saying, 'We'll leave you generations of debt and climate change. Don't grow up too soon!'

Inheritance

Matt Golding, The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald,

Two inmates lie dead on the Aboriginal flag. Text reads: 'Black Lives Matter. Black deaths in custody since 1991' with '450+' inside the centre yellow circle on the flag.

Black Lives Matter: Black Deaths in Custody Since 1991

Danny Eastwood, Koori Mail,

A movie poster. Houses and cars are swept away in a flood. Text reads: 'From the makers of 2020: 2021. Just when you thought it was safe to go outside... Now streaming'.

Floods

Johannes Leak, The Australian,

Scott Morrison is on the phone to his wife, Jenny. He asks her, 'What to do, Jenny? If only there was some kind of sign'. Women protesters are outside his window with signs.

Window of Opportunity

Fiona Katauskas, Eureka Street,

Three panels of a woman staring at a phone, it's 11.15am. First panel she says 'Ok, they're meeting at 11:45, so I might as well go do other stuff until there's actually some news.' She stays in the same spot in the next two panels.

Waiting for Presser

Elyce Phillips, Self-published,

Text next to legs reads: 'BOYS! The world is on fire! Reefs are dying! Polar caps are melting! GET INSIDE!' Below, Boris Johnson, Joe Biden and Scott Morrison play with toy submarines, text reads: 'But... billion dollar nuclear submarines!'

Boys and Their Dumb Toys

Nordacious, Self-published,

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Collection

Collection

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