Political Cartoons 2012a
Cartoon Shows MP Gerry Brownlee as a pig being attacked by 'angry birds'. Context: refers to a wildly popular video game called 'Angry birds' created by a Finnish company. A Finnish comedy show said 'We have Angry Birds, New Zealand has sheep'. Gerry Brownlee caused embarrassment when he made derogatory comments during a parliamentary debate to the effect that Finnish people are uneducated and disrespectful to women. This sparked outrage in Finland.
29 March 2012
The leader of ACT, John Banks, stands on a cabbage boat, shaking a collection box and lamenting that he has forgotten where he left his 'anonymous' supporters. Damn, I keep forgetting where I left my anonymous supporters." Refers to the donation from Kim Dotcom to Banks' campaign funds for the Auckland mayoralty campaign. Banks, one of whose expressions is that he 'did not come in the cabbage boat', claimed that he had no knowledge of 'anonymous' donors, despite Kim Dotcom's assertions to the contrary.
Cartoon depicts Prime Minister John Key sweating on his 'Planet Key' golf course as he tries to escape the 'mega political black hole' which suggests a world out of control. In the centre of the 'mega political black hole' is the grinning face of Kim Dotcom and around him spin the heads of a policeman' a spy representing the 'GCSB' and possibly an American representing the law. Context: Refers to the Dotcom affair. The United States is trying to extradite Kim Dotcom, who has New Zealand residency, for copyright infringement. He was arrested illegally by the police and has since been illegally spied upon by the GCSB (New Zealand Government Communications Security Bureau).
Cartoon depicts Prime Minister John Key with a large nose as mini engineers unplug cables from his brain. One says "Orders from upstairs - cut I.T. costs" 26 October 2012.
Context: John Key sat through a briefing on the Kim Dotcom case just weeks after the high-profile raid but says he completely forgot about it - a change to the story he gave Parliament days previously.
The admission from the Prime Minister came after he blamed "brain fade" at the Government Communications Security Bureau for illegal spying on Mr Dotcom.
Shows Colin Craig, artificial halo in place, jumping over John Banks, spread-eagled in the mud. Craig is saying 'don't worry Epsom. I'll save you!'
As John Banks, the leader of ACT sinks into the mire of the Kim Dotcom affair, Colin Craig and the Conservative Party, which is polling higher than ACT, becomes a possibility to take over the role of minor partner in the National coalition government - so long as the Conservatives are gifted the original ACT seat of Epsom.
Cartoon depicts an almighty arm emerging from the clouds, holding John Banks in the palm of his hand. A voter box sits on a platform labelled Epsom. Title: 'On the eighth day John Banks admits creationist views...' "I can't say who's giving me a hand. He prefers to remain anonymous." 27 August 2012
Context: Associate Education Minister, John Banks has declared himself a fundamentalist Christian who believes the world was created in six days, as stated in the bible. In April 2012, it was alleged that a $15,000 donation from SkyCity and two $25,000 cheques from German millionaire Kim Dotcom were illegally reported as anonymous campaign donations, but Auckland police deemed there to be insufficient evidence to prosecute Banks. (New Zealand Police News Centre, 26 July 2012)
Voters take a ride of the Phantom Politician Fear-Monger train - along which frights are given by refugees claiming sanctuary- tax men demanding money - solo mothers demanding wlefare money. ..Subtitle: 'Scary rides for conservatives.' 2012
Cartoon depicts Minister Of Welfare Paula Bennett with an IT man who says "We've beefed up security on the self-help kiosks like you asked Minister". The kiosk is waving it's robotic arms wildly and is shouting "Danger Danger! Kill all humans!" Paper pages printing out are labelled with 'Smear'
Context: 'Editorial: MSD breach shakes confidence
Oct 17 2012
When Social Development Minister Paula Bennett unveiled plans for a comprehensive database of vulnerable children, she promised rigorous measures to ensure their details would be kept safe.
That commitment lies in tatters after the massive information security breach at her ministry.' https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/editorials/7823689/Editorial-MSD-breach-shakes-confidence
Cartoon shows National Party MP for North Shore and former garden show host Maggie Barry chopping the head off a flower. The flower has the face of Labour MP Jacinda Ardern. Context: In July 2012 Barry taunted Ardern in Parliament about the fact that Ardern had no children.
Cartoon depicts a merry-go-round called 'Paula's Merry Get Off Welfare' No Free Rides. All the horses are throwing off their riders. The horses all have the head of Paula bennet, Minister Of Welfare.
Shows a group of miners forcing their way deeper into a mine, so intent on gaining wealth that they ignore environmental and safety regulations. The miners are from left, National Party mps, Steven Joyce, Minister for Economic Development, Gerry Brownlee, Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery, Phil Heatley, Minister of Energy and Resources, Kate Wilkinson, Minister of Conservation, and Prime Minister John Key. Context: Refers specifically to the Pike River mining disaster of November 2010. Auditing strongly suggests that the deregulated environment deriving from the 1980s must be in large part to blame for the tragedy in which 29 miners died.
Cartoon depicts a scene in front of the 'Skycity Casino' stands a line of policemen; an old woman asks if they are the queue for the National Paty Conference. Behind the police the National Party conference attendees scuttle into the conference. Context: refers to the National Party Conference that had a strong police presence to guard against protesters.
Shows Minister for Local Government, Nick Smith, wielding a chainsaw and hacking off the limbs of a man who represents 'local government'. The limbs represent 'loans', 'cultural', 'social', and 'sport'. Context: Stories of debt spiralling out of control as councils pursue pet projects far removed from what they should be doing have prompted the government to step in and announce a series of reforms for the local government sector. The government says the role of the reforms is to ensure councils focus on their core services and exhibit a high degree of fiscal responsibility.
In a parody of 'Zombie' horror films, the 'living dead' (old people) rampage, calling for the taxpayers to support them ('Support us!'). One of the fleeing youths calls out 'Thanks a bunch, John Key!'. John Key's National government had held off increasing the retirement age or contemplating the reduction of superannuation. In view of the aging baby boomer population, many of the tax-paying young considered this to be unsustainable.
Shows Education Minister Hekia Parata looking at schoolchildren eating from table of food. Nearby teacher looks despondent at Parata's comment that money is better spent on ranking pupils' poor performance. 'Our money is better spent ranking their poor results' Context: Parata has published national standards data which ranks children's achievements. Labour Party has released education policy which calls for free food in low decile schools. 14 September 2012
Cartoon depicts a long red carpet entrance to a large glittering facade decorated with coloured lights and large sign 'National Spins The Big Policy Launch'. Crowds are entering and climbing a staircase only to fall out the rear and falling intothe space where the rest of the building should be into a pile at rear. Refers to the lack of back office capability and implementation behind their policies. 2012
Cartoon depicts a huge mechanised monster carries a container at the Ports of Auckland and a representative of the ports tells Prime Minister John Key that this is a new approach to industrial relations. In the background wharfies protest. Context: Refers to the industrial dispute at the Ports of Auckland. Ports of Auckland wants to dismiss the workers and contract out their work in order to improve productivity. "We're trying a new approach to industrial relations." 16 March 2012
Two politicians stand in a tree having chainsawed off limbs labelled hospitals nurses public service police leaving foliage for just those at the top - one privileged man happily says "Pruning is really helping growth up here"
Cartoon depicts a sweating John key in the role of Humphrey Bogart in the film River Queen. The launch is labelled 'Asset sales River Queen' and he is attempting to wade through the muddy waters labelled 'Water Right Claims'. Heading - 'News : Mighty River Share Float Delayed'
'Fear of Skimmers' - a woman labelled 'NZ Economy' stands tentatively before an automatic teller machine labelled 'Foreign-owned Banks' with a vacuum nozzle and a screen labelled 'fees' - 'rates' - 'profits'.
Cartoon depicts a scene from Pink Floyd's The Wall movie with PM John Key holding two axes in front of a wall where raffitti says 'We don't need no education' Key says "I've already got mine". Context: 'The Prime Minister is refusing to apologise to parents and teachers over the Government's botched education reforms. John Key admits it made a mistake, but that's as far he'll go.' https://www.newshub.co.nz/politics/no-apology-for-proposed-education-cuts-2012061118