Political Cartoons 2023

Cartoon depicts National Party Prime Minister of New Zealand's 3 party coalition dressed as a clown wearing long shoes as he is tripping over the skull of smokers ( refers to plans to cancel the smokefree target and repeal legislation). Luxon's head has struck a bee's nest labelled 'Tiriti O Waitangi' from which angry bees fly to sting him on the ass. His top hat falls off labelled '7 Houses'. He is about to fall face first into budget custard while crying profuse clown tears "Why can't I get a break?" he whimpers plaintively.

Cartoon depicts a cigarette packet open at a bach label says "NOT smoking may endanger the wealth of our tax cuts" 'NACTNZF coalition' Yachts cruise a blue sea.

Cartoon depicts a tank blasting Gaza to pieces commanded by Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel. He turns to an embarrassed Uncle Sam standing near the old ruins of Afghanistan & Iraq, saying "This is how you fight terrorism right, Uncle?"

Cartoon depicts a half constructed biplane with struts in the form of initials ( NAF ) representing each political party attempting to complete negotiations in order to form a coalition government. National Party leader Christopher Luxon sits at in front of a tiny engine holding the joystick. "I used to run an airline. Vroom! Tally-ho!" One wheel is missing and the biplane sits on a brick. David Seymour ( ACT ) is tangled in wires through the gap in the 'A'. Winston Peters ( NZFIRST ) dressed in a mechanic's overalls leans nonchantly on a wing, with a cigarette near to a red petrol can. Various missing peices lie scattered on the ground as wind blows out the rear of the plane, which as a push type motor. Refers to Luxon's former career as AirNZ CEO.

Cartoon depicts a meeting among wreckage of war between David Seymour (ACT), Christopher Luxon, (National) and Winston Peters (NZFirst). Seymour: "The least trustworthy person in New Zealand politics, a clown, I believe?" Peters: The twerp tweaker from Epsom, political cuckold, I presume?" Luxon lying on the ground: "Strong & stable". Caption: 'Coalition Rendezvous'. Slane, after Low. References classic WW2 cartoon 'Rendezvous' by David low.

Cartoon depicts a broken bottle labelled 'Supie' on the floor of a supermarket. Shelves are labelled 'Foodstuffs' & 'Woolworths'. "Oh dear how sad!" says an executive. "Clean up in isle 3....Someone's gonna pay for this" says another exec. An orange fluid leaking out is labelled 'Competition'. National party politician Nicola Willis peeps around a corner, concerned.

Cartoon depicts a pack of MAGA wolves howling at the moon. Among them sits a naked Donald Trump also pretending to howl, along with a GOP elephant. They are sweating with fear as one of the MAGA wolves begins to sniff at their plump backsides. Skulls and bones lie scattered around them. Title: 'Howling with wolves'. Slane, after Paul Weber. Refers to a lithograph titled 'Howl with wolves you must' by Andreas Paul Weber, prominent lithographer, draftsman and painter, was imprisoned during the Nazi regime as he worked with the resistance circle of Ernst Niekisch.

Cartoon depicts a middle-aged man holding a glass under a water fall labelled 'Internet' catching water and announcing to two bystanders "Wow! This online research confirms all my beliefs exactly!" Refers to quote by Arthur C. Clarke: “Getting information from the internet is like getting a glass of water from the Niagara Falls.” #confirmationbias

Cartoon depicts two men crossing a waterway on the back of a crocodile towards an arrow sign which reads 'Polling'. “Follow me, Seymour. I have a clear pathway to power” says Chris Luxon as he & David Seymour walk across a pond on the back of a crocodile labelled 'NZFirst'. Winston Peters, for the old croc is he, smiles with one eye open.

Cartoon depicts two graphs depicted as piles of cash spent over recent economic history in New Zealand from 2008 to 2023. "Worst finance minister in history!" Chris Luxon accuses Grant Robertson of being responsible for a mound of total crown expenses as a % of GDP around 2021. Signs include Covid, Ukraine, Cost of Living Crisis. He surprises Bill English who sits next to higher pile incurred after the 2008, signes read: GFC, tax cuts, (bailouts), austerity and Christchurch earthquakes. Box: Source Treasury data 1972-2022, PREFU 2023 ) Cartoon was based on a graph: https://twitter.com/labourcartel/status/1700986659435852219?s=46&t=PxHeK1CgZble5h_mErtKVg ( That graph used figures from https://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/information-release/data-fiscal-time-series-historical-fiscal-indicators )

Cartoon depicts Act party leader David Seymour viewing giant statues in the 'Hall Of Fame: World Humanitarians' including Nelson Mandela, Kate Sheppard, Mahatma Ghandi, Mother Tereasa Martin Luther King (jr), Oscar Schindler etc "I'll be your leader" proclaims David Seymour. Refers to Seymur's claim that 'If Nelson Mandela was alive today, he would be campaigning for ACT'. https://www.thepress.co.nz/a/nz-news/350069175/what-would-jesus-do-polls

Cartoon depicts an obese 'corporate' pig in a suit wearing a white shirt splattered with debris easing his belt labelled 'Tax Relief' after ingesting gross amounts of cash from a plate labelled 'Pandemic Profits'. "Phew, finally some relief for the squeezed middle." Title Greedflation'

Cartoon depicts a crumbling rocky cliff and two people walking off the edge poised to fall. NZ National Party leader Christopher Luxon is tossing up a cricket ball ready with a bat "I can keep smashing out the big promises while we're still on such a firm budget footing right, Nicola?" Deputy leader Nicola Willis is clutching at pages with figures dropping into thin air below. Landscape features resemble style of Road Runner cartoons.

Cartoon depicts Labour Government leaders Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and finance minister Grant Robertson riding the back of a large kiwi bird leading it away from an existential bush fire with a carrot on a fishing rod and line. Carrot is labelled 'GST'. Hipkins: "Woah, Grant! Too much real change too soon - she'll take off."

Cartoon depicts two tunnel entrances one for motor vehicles the other for trains. Headline is '2050.' Two miners are standing between one commenting "These tunnels are perfect now we all must live underground" The sky is smoky yellow in colur and meagre vegetation is scorched.

Cartoon depicts New Zealand covered with roading and subject to adverse weather and climate events - title: 'ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS - CARBONISED ARTERIES'

Cartoon depicts the leaders of Labour - Chris Hipkins, and National - Chris Luxon both clinging to a raft labelled 'Centre Voters'. The raft has been eroding by sharks representing minor parties biting off large pieces. Hipkins: "we're running out of raft" Luxon: "Must remain calm. They can sense fear." Shark 'G' (Green Party): "Actually sharks are critically endangered." NZF shark: "We outlasted the dinosaurs, actually." Title: 'Shark Week'

Cartoon depicts two panels. A - David 'Judge' Seymour pronounces sentence upon three young people "Guilty! 17 years old is old enough to know the repercussions of your actions" B - At a polling place observers table Seymour bars entry to the same three youngsters "Too innocent! 17 years old is too young to know the repercussions of your actions"

Cartoon depicts an alternative to National Party's controversial poster at a National Party stand at a market in Katikati in April. It was put on Twitter by NZ Herald columnist Shane Te Pou, and described as “disgusting” and “racist” by other users. This asked for stickers to be added to various issues such as Cost of living, housing, law & order, with 'Pigeon (sic) English' & 'Co-Governance' written in with pen. In contrast, the cartoon replaces former topics with heating, housing, high bills,wages, & 'Tax cuts for the wealthy - just kidding' Title; 'Which issue is most important to you?' 'NZ Low Income Householders'

'Overton Windows'. Cartoon depicts a red and blue coloured political landscape signposted as left, centre and right. One giant green rainbow coloured window frame containing a green ecological low carbon 'survivable future' landscape with a Maori woman ( Marama Davidson - Green Party ) calling "Come with us if you want to live." Dressed in a red shirt the leader of Labour Party Chris Hipkins, sword in hand, is standing on top of the hill labelled 'Majority of Voters'. He is sparring with leader of National Party Chris Luxon dressed in a blue shirt, who is retreating to the right of the centre. A sign on the downward slope to the right is labelled 'Business As Usual'. On the far right a small gold coloured window frame is labelled 'UBER-RICH SURVIVAL' . It contains a luxury boat travelling through a flooded suburban landscape. This window frame is being lifted into the air by a helicopter blade with a wealthy man in a top hat ascending a ladder. It is David Seymour leader of the Act party is holding a champagne glass calling "Not all of you can come with us, SOZ!". An Overton window is the range of policies politically acceptable to the mainstream population at a given time aka 'window of discourse'

Cartoon depicts a blue scorpion labelled N for National and resembling leader Christopher Luxon riding on the back of a frog labelled 'Labour & Greens' saying "Trust me. Why would I renew on climate? We would both drown". They are attempting to swim to the side of the boiling pot over a fire. Refers to National plans to keep agriculture off the ETS until 2030, to give farmers more time before paying for emissions.

Cartoon depicts two antiquated biplanes representing parties of the right wing in New Zealand. In a nimble yellow plane Act party leader David Seymour climbs ahead. In a rumpty blue National plane the pilot Christopher Luxon shouts to Nicola Willis "Oh no, he's gaining. Quickly, dump all our saner policies." Dutifully, Willis jettisons five bulky bags labelled 'Farming Accord' 'Lower emissions' 'Housing accord, centrist policies' 'Maori'

Cartoon depicts a masked nicotine businessman making off with bags of profits under the civer of a law and order debate

Cartoon depicts a steampunk style futuristic workshop hangar with a bright earth sphere in the centre with New Zealand & Australia foremost also connected to a tangle of pipes and cables. A set of stairs leads to a door open in the south island of New Zealand indicated by a female scientist saying "This is a space-time machine. We can all use it to travel into the future, but only if..." A man in a blue suit interrupts with "We take it out a few burnouts and donuts? Yeehaw! Voom Voom!"

Cartoon depicts a bailey bridge built from successive government budgets replacing old underfunded infrastructure destroyed by climate disasters storms floods resulting from weather events and covid19 pandemic - a digger is lowering the 2023 section into place driven by Labour finance minister Grant Robertson while leader of the opposition National party Chris Luxon has stepped out of his car to comment "I'd fill that hole with tax cuts and receipts" Title is 'Bailey Bridge'

Cartoon depicts waka canoes representing New Zealand political parties including Maori , Labour,National,Greens, thwarted egos. "If the music stops and you're not prime minister you can launch another waka" notes an observer.

Cartoon depicts ants looking up at a group of tall poppies one of whom says "Sorry tall poppies don't pay as much tax as worker ants."

Cartoon depicts a large kangaroo lifting a boot off a flattened kiwi "Aww sorry I didn't see you there mate" kiwi gives a ragged thumbs up - refers to announcement of a pathway to citizenship agreement for New Zealanders living in Australia.

Cartoon depicts PM Chris Hipkins and minister of finance minister Grant Robertson standing on a broken stopbank labelled 'Disaster Budget' watching floods from cyclone Gabrielle rush through saying "we need to build back better safer and a wee bit higher"

Cartoon depicts a wealthy supermarket owner in a top hat laughing and running away pushing a overloaded trolley overflowing with money bags labelled 'excessive profits' while saying "Our absolute priority remains making sure the food on our shelves is as affordable as possible for our customers" & " Mwa-hahaha!" while a Commerce Commission security guard ineffectually calls "Hey!" - title: 'Snatch & Grab Raider'

Cartoon depicts a tug of war between promoters of lush green economic growth such as a businessman - Minister of Finance Grant Robertson - Prime Minister Chris Hipkins versus on the desolate contraction side of the line Govenor of the Resrve Bank Governor Adrian Orr - President of Russia Vladimir Putin - a large covid19 virus with a flower in the middle of athe rope knot.

Cartoon depicts a politician production line conveyor belt loaded with gormless politicians skulls open ready for implants while a pink-haired scientist inserts a chip "To avoid them saying more dumb stuff we're installing the latest version of AI chatbot"

Cartoon depicts an
amusement or carnival ride named 'Leader Screamer - politics in a pandemic' with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern staggering away thinking "Helluva ride!" refers to her decision to step down from office. In background are Boris Johnson and Donald Trump vomiting.

Cartoon depicts a small sauna pool labelled 'Culture Wars' crowded with right of centre and far right politicians while Winston Peters is jumping in from a NZFirst high diving board "Yoo hoo - miss me?"

Cartoon depicts lobbyists ientering an exiting the revolving door at Government ( Beehive) while earning themselves to bags of cash

Cartoon depicts a construction scene full of heavy earthmoving vehicles labelled 'Private Sector' 'Private Enterprise' 'Expert Policy Co' 'Consultant Engineers' 'Private Sector' 'IT Co' etc all busily moving large bags of money away from the beehive from which a voice explains "Honey they shrunk the government" as they build hospitals and reconstruction work - refers to gopvernment engagement of consultants and other private firms carrying out tasks once were part of the state sector like the Ministry of Works.

Cartoon depicts a hot-air balloon labelled 'Bread & Butter Issues' flown by Labour Prime Minister Chris Hipkins going up by casting off green bags of sand labelled 'Green Policies' and saying to an alarmed Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson "There - now go differentiate yourselves' while in the background a deflated National Party hot-air balloon labelled 'Tax Cuts' plummets - refers to Labour dropping the clean car upgrade,social leasing scheme,alcohol reform, a container-return scheme, speed limit reviews, a public transport improvement programme, Auckland light rail,Vote 16 legislation,election,

Cartoon depicts a road bridge smashed by forestry slash wreckage with road cones and tape marked 'Environnmental Crime Scene' as a police stand watch.

Cartoon depicts planet earth viewed from space above New Zealand which says "We're too small to make a difference" while a huge cyclone cloud ( Gabrielle ) replying "you still matter to me"

Cartoon depicts the cliff below houses collapsed revealling bare rock labelled 'Climate Change' one of the houses represents New Zealand government Beehive & parliament labelled 'Current Policy Settings'

Cartoon depicts Auckland deluge of rain landing in a myriad of buckets labelled 'Excuses' 'Insults' 'Sneers''Evasions' 'Fluffs' 'Anger' 'Back-tracking' 'Lack of Judgement' 'Blunders' 'Scorn' 'Lack of Judgement' 'Evasions' 'Spin' 'Crankiness' 'Ego' ''Tennis' while Mayor Wayne Brown tries to pass a bucket labelled 'The Buck' and says "Sorry Drongos I'm too busy rushing out my own buckets"

Cartoon depicts a malfunctioning messy factory closed for repair labelled 'capitalism' with egg and CO2 shortages oil refining function closure plus air travel luggage chaos all closed for repair while a businessman rails against the situation exclaiming bitterly "Government why are you doing this to me?"