Aukus 2
Van Nishing
Van Nishing depicts UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, US President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese eating a nuclear ‘sub’ sandwich. The painting is intended to protest the expense of the AUKUS nuclear submarines agreement at a time when many Australians were struggling with the cost of living. Van Nishing had made an earlier version of this work, showing just Albanese eating a ‘sub’, as a street mural in the Melbourne suburb of Footscray.
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Hear audio descriptions of political cartoons from Behind the Lines exhibitions.
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Become a tour venue
We love talking to new venues about hosting our Behind the Lines political cartoon exhibition.
1916: Conscription
Australians were asked to vote on whether men in National Service could be deployed to fight in World War One.
1937: Aviation
A 1937 referendum asked Australians if the Commonwealth should regulate air travel.
1951: Communists and communism referendum
In the 1951 referendum, Australia voted no on banning Communist ideology by the barest of margins.