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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
A colourful bus map representing the Robodebt Royal Commission.

Thrown under a Bus Route

Glen Le Lievre, The Australian Financial Review,

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 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, Self-published,

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 '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 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 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,

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,

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 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, Nine Papers,

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,

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, Nine Papers,

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,

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,

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,

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,

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,

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,

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,

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