February
Cartoon depicts Text reads 'Why the U.S. prefers to bury at sea'. The cartoon shows Osama bin Laden, with concrete blocks tied to his feet, sinking rapidly to the ocean floor. The blocks are engraved with the words 'Osama C.I.A. connections', 'Abu Ghraib torture', 'Guantanamo', 'Illegal war', 'Death, destruction'. Context - On 1 May 2011 Osama bin Laden was shot dead by U.S. Navy SEALs and CIA paramilitary forces at a compound in the city of Abbottabad in Pakistan and was buried at sea. The cartoon suggests that the United States' behaviour does not bear too close a scrutiny and that killing bin Laden rather than questioning him might save some embarrassment. 2011
The letters 'CHCH' are built from broken masonry and stand amongst the chaos of broken buildings. It is the usual acronym for the city of Christchurch; here however it stands for 'catastrophe', 'havoc', 'care', 'help'. Context - on 22 February 2011 a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck in Christchurch, which has probably killed more than 200 people (at this point the number is still not known) and caused very severe damage. The courage, generosity and 'can do' attitude of the people of Christchurch has been wonderful but the whole country and is contributing to the effort to get Christchurch back on its feet as well as aid from overseas. 2011
John Key erects a sign 'Nationa's boot camp at the bottom of the cliff to be erected here' as a ambulance drives away from a cliff labelled 'Youth'. 2016?
Prime Minister John Key clutches desperately a huge bag of money with a '$' symbol on it while Finance Minister Bill English stands nearby holding a large axe and looking very grim. John Key says 'Hack off what you want from the others - just don't take back my precious tax cuts'. Context - Refers to the May budget, and John Key's announcement that it is now likely the Government will not spend any new money in this year's budget. Published in the Listener 2011.
Illustration depicts a kiwi wearing flight googles and rockets strapped to his back labelled 'Ambition' and a larger 'Added Boost'. Refers to ambitious for New Zealand catchphrase.
Cartoon depicts a Birthday Cake made of a candle, mud, slash and flood debris. "Too much on our plate" observes a bystander. Title: Cyclone Gabrielle - one year on.'
Cartoon depicts pigs eating swill from a tough marked 'Appointments' heads down with their bottoms in the air. 16 Feb 2002
Cartoon depicts PM Helen Clark calling out to two demolition workers on top of a mountain of rubble made of the state, including hospital boards & telephone services. "Now put it all back together again" Refers to deregulation and out-sourcing of state functions to the private sector. 1 Jan 2000
"Agreed - we attack the government for not being inclusive" says a senior pale alpha male to a group of like-minded similarly-gendered individuals drinking champagne in a lavish boardroom high above a city.
Originally Published NZListener 28 October 2000
Cartoon depicts Helen Clark stepping up via the face down form of Jenny Shipley to a pedestal labelled 'NZ's first elected female PM'. "Thanks for removing gender as a issue, Jenny." 11 Dec 1999
Cartoon depicts a pagan ceremony with a priestess ( Jenny Shipley ) holding two bloody knives before a large, angry skull-like stone idol (the Market ) surrounded by skulls. A volcano is erupting in the background. "Who among us has yet to make sacrifice?" The crowd of peasants point to each other. 17 Oct 1998
Cartoon depicts an man reading a newspaper and outraged by the headline 'Public servants sell data to credit agencies' He: "How dare they profit from selling other people's private information!" Frame 2 reveals he is the CEO of 'Newscartel'. Man 2: "that's our job" Man 1: "Exactly!"
"WHAT WE NEED IN THIS COUNTRY IS STRONG LEADERSHIP ...
CRUEL LEADERSHIP.
BRUTAL LEADERSHIP
PITILESS LEADERSHIP
DAMN M.M.P. "
Strong Leadership - right-wingers crave domination by strong, first past the post style government,( cruel, harsh, inhumane) leadership. Listener 15 Aug 1998
Cartoon depicts 4 t-shirts with slogans:
I'VE BEEN BEFORE THE PRIVILEGES COMMITTEE
THIS SPACE TO LET
JUST INCORRECT
M.P. FOR THE INTERNET
Title: 'T-SHIRTS OF THE FAR RIGHT '
Listener 6 June 1998
Cartoon depicts 6 panels with a heading 'Reform - it never goes quite far enough - some sectors WE would like to see broken up and subject to real competition...
• BREWERY GIANTS ( Storage vats of $ )
• MEGA LAW FIRMS "YOU'RE ALL GOING TO BE APPOINTED IMEETING AS COMPANY DIRECTORS TO PUBLIC UTILITIES " ( massed partners )
• TREASURY ( Robots )
• NZ CRICKET TEAM (Wickets taken out )
• BUSINESS ROUND TABLE "FROM NOW ON IT'S THE BUSINESS OCCASIONAL TABLES. "
• AUSTRALIA "HAVE SOME WATERFRONT REFORM YA SMUG BASTARDS." ( Says map of NZ to Australia )
Refers to quote from Guardian 1981? "It has been suggested that the Government (UK) is hooked by Prof J Kenneth Galbraith's advice "Please, whatever you do, don't give up, or Milton Friedman will be able to say it would have worked if only you had kept going." Listener 9 May 1998
"If reform stops now all our sacrifices will have been in vain" claims a businessman sitting in a plush office - refers to damaging market monetarist reforms of the 1980s led by Minister of Finance Roger Douglas. 6 Nov 1999
Cartoon depicts a large yacht sailing the Hauraki Gulf with rich men drinking champagne. "Tax cuts - such a fantastic incentive to greater investment and productivity!" 5 Dec 1998
Cartoon depicts an election asteroid heading for PM Jenny Shipley and her legislative deregulation of ACC deregulation, ID Cards, Producer Boards half-built messy construction site for the Shipley Years Memorial. 28 Nov 1998
Cartoon depicts a bloated tick labelled 'Expatriate Profits' on the back of a starved cow with markings showing a map of New Zealand.
Cartoon depicts businessmen rifling through the pockets of a government minister extracting cash. 15 may 1998
A female sprite flies over Wellington with a horn of plenty disgorging an unlimted deluge of golden coins over a crowd of politicians and bureaucrats who are catching the boon in upturned inverted umbrellas.
"Remember you are power companies - competing lowering prices - no gouging consumers" - says Max Bradford as he is about to unlock redoeo gates with ferocious bulls panting to charge out into the arena like wounded bulls. ( 24 April 1998 )
"You have to admit - there's no problem defining their policy direction" comments one peasant to another as four horsemen of the apocalypse sweep humanity into the maws of death.
