MoAD and the Courtyard Cafe are open. Some exhibitions and rooms will be closed from September 2025 for essential building works. Learn more

Behind the Lines

The Saturday Paper

The Saturday Paper is a weekly newspaper dedicated to narrative journalism. 

In a six-panel comic, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stands in front of Uluru as the sun sets. He says, 'Let me explain to you all what Makarrata means. It means coming together after a struggle. So let's all come together for a good old chinwag! Chew the fat, pat each other on the back, sign an NDA or two… and sit around a campfire sharing war stories about the campaign and where we'd like our reconciliation journey to go next, in an entirely non-binding fashion… anyone?'

Lost in Translation

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

A street sign reads, 'Climate Alley.' In the middle of floods and fires, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is trying to get people to pick a card, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese engages people in 3-cup monte. Albanese says, 'Which shell is the lump of coal under?'

Pick Your Poison

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

In a graveyard, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pats a small dog labelled NACC, who is sniffing at the bottom of a much larger, angry-looking robot with the Centrelink logo on its chest.

Robodog

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

Stressed Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci sits in the self-checkout area, where a scanner says, 'Unexpected item in the bagging area.'

Spillage in Self-checkout

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

Santa Claus tracks dirty footprints into a bedroom where two people are in bed. He tells them he's doubling the rent and wishes them a 'Merry landlord Christmas'. He adds that the 'carpet is filthy'.

Merry Rentmas

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

At the Bureau of Meteorology, two men look up at a sign with a ladder next to it. Sign reads 'Number of days since the hottest day on Earth' with zeros underneath. One says, 'On the bright side, I don't have to get up that ladder so often these days...'

Every Day a Winner

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

Titled 'The Wagga Wagga "Gladys Berejiklian" Clay Target Shooting Championship'. A man fires at a clay target, finds it two years later and says, 'We're very disappointed in you!'

Ready, aim...

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

A marching band branded with the words 'Nobody left behind' passes a homeless person. One band member asks who the homeless person is, the leader replies, 'Nobody'.

The Band Marched On

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

Two panels. First panel titled 'Opposition', a dog wearing glasses chases a car. Second panel titled 'Government', the dog catches the car and thinks, 'Now what?'

Now What?

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

Outside a burning Parliament House, Scott Morrison hands Anthony Albanese keys saying, 'Here are the keys. Best of luck.' Albanese holds a mop.

Not Getting The Bond Back

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

A crowd dispersal van labelled 'Vaccine' drives through a puddle-filled street littered with hi-vis construction clothing. Men in the van say, 'Well that did the trick'.

Homeopathic Remedy

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

A submarine is celebrated with flags and a parade. A man run towards a person about to break a bottle on the sub saying, 'Stoooop! That's French champagne!' Text reads 'Moments before "the incident"'.

Sparkling Submersibles

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

Beneath a plane two dots are circled in red. Text pointing to them reads: 'Didn't drown at sea'.

Duty of Care

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

A blue dog is on the ground at 'Drover's Dog School'. Two faceless men hold a sign, 'Tax cuts for the rich'. They say to the dog, 'Roll Over!' and, 'He's as ready as he'll ever be.'

Drover's Dog

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

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 elderly farmer with a white beard directs Scott Morrison, who is in a car, past the gas-fired power station, and into the past.

Heritage Tours

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

Two men in a cool room with Pfizer vaccines. One says, 'The minister wants to start rolling doses out ASAP'. The other responds, 'Does he have any idea how hard it is to stick Liberal logos on each one wearing these mittens?'

The Fumble

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

In a nursing home room. A wolf dressed as Little Red Riding Hood tells Grandma, who sits in a chair, that she is a drag on productivity. She is shocked.

Little Red Bottom Line

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

A parent says to a child in a bombed out room surrounded by war, 'So because the future looked poorer and more dangerous, we spent, and I concede in hindsight this wasn't thought through, all our money on missiles.'

The Long-Range Forecast

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

A tiered cake with 'Back in black' written on it sits on a table with balloons next to a red tree in the Parliament House courtyard. Cake says, 'Should I jump out now? Hello?' Text at the top: 'A poignant moment beneath the budget tree'.

Having Your Cake

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

Two AFP officers walk away from the High Court building. They say, 'The bad news is we shouldn't have gone through the underwear drawer, but the good news is we get to keep the underwear.'

The Underpants of Democracy

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

Scott Morrison and Bridget McKenzie use buckets to try to put out fires coming out of many barrels of 'pork'.

Roast Pork

Jon Kudelka, The Saturday Paper,

You may also be interested in...

Referendums A to Z

Referendums A to Z

What is a referendum? Why should you care? We’ve broken down everything you need to know, from A to Z. 

Stories

Stories

Deep dive into stories about Old Parliament House, Australian history and democracy.

1975 election

1975 election

Everything you need to know about the 1975 double dissolution election.

Could the 1975 dismissal happen elsewhere?

Could the 1975 dismissal happen elsewhere?

Is the dismissal of an elected government an event that could happen in countries other than Australia?

The sizzling history of the democracy sausage

The sizzling history of the democracy sausage

Barbecue snags and voting explained.

50 years since the dismissal

50 years since the dismissal

Everything you need to know about the 1975 dismissal.