Oz Peasantry

Naturally, people in the Goulburn Valley (canning factory workers and/or orchardists in particular) will be gutted by the federal cabinet's decision NOT to extend any financial help in maintaining agro/industrial employment in the region.

Of course, it IS the prime responsibility of commercial companies to either ensure their enterprises are viable to compete in the market-place in terms of both modern infrastructure and adequate capital investment. If that's not possible ... then, get the hell out of the industry instead of blood-sucking tax-payer funds to make up for the lack of fore-sight and leader-ship on the part of executive management! To that extent, Tony Abbott's explanation of today's cabinet decision is sensible.

However, if the inevitable result is the end of the entire fruit-growing industry in the Goulburn Valley and similar regions of Australia... then it renders his 'solutions' speech at the G20 meeting a complete nonsense... because clearly the 'market place' world-wide is interested only in making money. There is obviously no desire whatsoever to invest in anything but that over-arching intent.

Look out Australia. Medieval times are here again! Say hello to the new peasantry!

Nothing new under the sun?

As an addendum to today's blog entry... the ABC is probably well and truly inured to being the whipping post for just about every Australian federal government of the past 3 or 4 decades?

Witness, the accompanying cartoon which appeared in the November 1985 issue of Graphix, (a printing industry newspaper), as an illustration in support of an article chronicling a 'troubled' ABC reeling in its efforts to regain credibility as the 'national broadcaster'... following savage budget cuts dealt it by the Fraser government in its dying days. Many elements of society were critical of the resultant programming dilution as the ABC's top man Geoffrey Whitehead struggled to make ends meet.

Strangely, the press reaction was the opposite of recent times. The Australian had commented ... the cultural calibre of ABC TV's prime-time programming has become as imaginative, varied and worthy of the offerings that come from BBC2 or from the public service Channel13 in New York. That's pretty good in world terms...' On the same day, the Age said...'the corporation's television offerings remain effete, bland and deplorably foreign. They also represent an abrogation of the corporation's charter.'

Being the 'national broadcaster' clearly isn't as simple as ABC?

Fabric fraying?

At last, a seemingly intelligent comment from someone in the federal government. Malcolm Turnbull's defence of the ABC against Abbott's ill-framed and stupid recent tirade, is a welcome breath of fresh air amidst the dank atmosphere created by the secretive 'tell 'em nothing' stance taken by this apparently 'out of its depth' group since the election.

There are probably other shadowy figures who aren't all that happy about this little act of defiance though?

Deja Vu anyone?

Minister Abetz seems to be inexorably on the same I.R. path as his predecessor in the Howard administration. How long before they re-float 'Workplace Agreements', 'Work Choices' and, maybe even other more radical figments like the 'Dubai Solution'... dressed, of course, in new titles?

BTW, the depiction of Peter Reith is a previously un-published hand-drawn and coloured caricature I scribbled at the time PR was prescribing his solutions to industrial strife on Australia's docks (c.1997).

   

Spooks again (yawn!)

Seems like we're stuck with ever increasing incursion into our private lives and activities by spy agencies...  platitudinous statements by western leaders about intent to curb such snooping, notwithstanding.

I think the technological genie has long escaped the bottle... and the CIA/ASIO type organizations will go ahead with doing whatever they bloody-well like despite bleatings to the contrary by the passing parade of so-called 'political leadership'. Why? Because they CAN!... not because it is required to save us from terrorist or any other types of threats.

How many threats have their clandestine snoopings actually exposed? It's secret! That could well mean the answer is NIL, Nought, Zilch! "Trust US" is the only answer you're ever likely to get in this stupid world occupied by humans entranced by SECRECY.

Well, I for one wouldn't trust any of the spook agencies as far as I could throw 'em under-arm!

Exaggeration a kinda white lie?

A week or so ago, the famous massively large statue of Christ the Redeemer which overlooks the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil... was struck by a bolt of lightning, causing damage to its head and one of the outstretched hands. After googling the incident, I learned it wasn't the first time this had happened. It attracted another 'bolt from the blue' in February 2008!

I thought lightning 'never strikes twice in the same spot'. Dare we imagine there might be some extra-ordinary reason for this apparent departure from the 'norm'?

1980 Moscow Summer Olympics.

Yesterday's cartoon reminded me of a past venture into depicting Russia through symbolic bears. This morning I delved into my un-catelogued archival chest to see if I could track-down the instance.

Voila! It occurred in the Jan.28.,1980 edition of TravelWeek. One of the head-line stories at the time was about anticipated heavy losses which 'might' be sustained by the travel industry that year due to spreading boycotts by nations unwilling to participate in the games because it 'might' be construed as endorsement of the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan.

My Goldilocks and the three bears editorial cartoon was a fairly straight-forward reaction to the elements in play. No colour in those days. Also, it was in the midst of my 'brush and ink' period which predicated that most of my cartooning work was extraordinarily large. As a consequence, I have very few 'originals' retained from the late 70s-early 80s. Indeed, this repro. is a scan from the actual printed page...and, suffers in quality for that reason. BTW, for those of you not around at the time... 'Misha' was the official mascot of the Moscow games.

Ah well, it's only history!

       

Onya Adam!

Adam Goodes Australian of the Year for 2013! Brilliant decision. Adam is a bonzer bloke as well as a great advocate for indigenous australian brethren and their rightful place in our national society. Oh, and, he's a pretty good AFL footballer as well!

In this blog, I was very proud to run a candid pic of Adam and my grand-daughter's at a Sydney Swan's 'meet the players' gathering in Melbourne last May. There was a huge line wanting to meet Adam, yet... when my Sam and Maddy made it to the great man, he was gracious enough to speak to them at length whilst inscribing their jerseys, almost as if they were the only people he had met that day.

Awaking to the news of his great honour this morning... I knew I just had to run the updated pic once again as my personal tribute to a beaut human being.

  

Winter Olympics warming up?

With the Sochi games less than a fortnight away... some competing nations may remain a little jittery about athlete security in light of recent terrorism threats. This despite assurances to the contrary from Russian 'tough guy' president Vladimir Putin.

I don't know about potential terrorists... but, he scares the hell outa me!

 

Game, set and match for Kim?

Whether or not Victorian state minister for police and emergency services Kim Wells could have contributed in a physical way to the fight against bush-fires rampaging thru the Grampians last Friday night is really immaterial. The question for the electorate is simply whether or not his judgement is appropriate to a person holding key ministerial responsibilities in state administration.

At the very least, his fitness to continue in his present role will be sorely tested by public opinion after his breath-taking decision to attend a tennis match when it was clearly obvious that a large out of control bush-fire was destroying property and menacing the lives and well-being of both ordinary constituents and emergency service personnel trying to protect them!

IMHO, certainly not a good look for anyone in a 'leadership' role!

OZ day bash?

In advance of the public holiday next Monday (Australia day actually falls on Sunday), Victoria Police have reminded the people to be careful in their desire to celebrate with the crowd, as records show the national day has become the worst single day of the year for assaults on innocent victims!

Get pissed out of your brain... then, bash someone just to show what a great patriotic hero you are?!
Is that the 'Australian way' we want to be proud of?

I think NOT!

Brandis v. East Timor

Along with the Immigration minister Morrison, Attorney General Brandis is having a stand-off with yet another neighborhood country... East Timor. In a long standing dispute over mineral rights in the timor sea, ET claims they were foisted with an inferior deal after Oz spooks tapped into their private discussions ahead of the 'unfair' treaty signing some time ago. More recently, AG Brandis is said to have ordered an ASIO raid on the offices of one of ET's Australian-based lawyers, during which, documented evidence supporting ET's grievance was allegedly seized by the spooks.

I'd be pretty upset by this high-handed search and seizure myself. Don't be surprised if international jurists take a dim view of it as well, George.

Tough?

As the saying goes... When the going gets tough, the tough get going!

The question is (perhaps) WHERE can they get going to?

Mr. Morrison, the federal minister for immigration, has been obliged to face down a veritable truck-load of careless crap over the past few days... most of which emanates from almost inexplicable errors by minions nominally reporting to his portfolio. At least two foreign governments are giving him the evil-eye. In one case it is driven by largely political differences with the OZ government... whilst the other (subject to investigation) could be based on greed and opportunism on the part of a so-called governing (but, in reality, client) authority.

If I were in the minister's predicament, I think I'd be seriously questioning myself as to "How the hell did I get into this mess?!"

Cocky cockie!

My morning constitutional walk today took me down the hill to our 'village' shopping strip, where I usually buy a paper to catch up on weekend sports results. On the way, I traversed an historic grove of pines, under which a huge flock of White (sulphur-crested) Cockatoos were scuffling and screeching over fallen ripe pine-cones. The noise was horrendous... an unfortunate trait of these otherwise fairly lovable creatures who, in captivity, are usually charming us with their remarkable ability to mimic human speech.

The ground not being all that flat around the tree bases, I wandered a little close to one pugnacious customer who, perhaps thinking I was challenging its right to a haul of sweet pine kernels... made a raucous noise as it launched a sudden feint towards my bare legs! I spoke (squawked?) harshly at the feathered pretender who promptly thought better of its bravado and, flew away.

The encounter was a draw insofar as a possible contest was concerned. However, good fodder for a cartoon(?)

The REAL ashes test begins

The fortitude and endurance now required of the many people facing recovery from recent Australia-wide bush-fire devastation... simply dwarfs the much lauded heroics of professional flanneled-fools performing on our playing fields this summer.

But, will their coming ordeal attract the same level of breathless recognition? I doubt it.

Week-end nostalgia

Much of my body of work as a professional cartoonist appeared in a travel magazine titled Travel Week over a period of +/- 26 years. The work covered both B&W and full colour as print technology dictated. Until 1997 all of my stuff was hand-drawn/coloured on paper or board and hand-delivered to the publisher (I never trusted snail mail for delivery of 'one only' original art-work) until digital production became the modus-operandi, about mid-way thru that year. Within the cartoon sphere, I had produced regular caricature portraits of travel industry notables, opinion 'toons and comic strips about industry doings. From time to time. I was also called upon (as a psuedo staff artist) to provide  advertising pieces about industry coming events. One 'toon format I had always fancied myself as doing was the 'spot' humorous illos (ala those which dot the news pages of daily newspapers), but the opportunity never arose intentionally, until...

... for the February 12, 1997 issue of TW, the editor decided to run a 'fantasy' piece about the possible 'look' of the Travel Agency business in 2015. I got the job of imagining what TA's might look and feel like 18 years ahead in the form of '5 or 6 ' spot illos "you know... in the way of Tandberg" sayeth he who must be obeyed. I probably replied with an over-the-top exclamation like "look out Ronnie, here comes the competition... at last!" Of course, the status-quo never even trembled. Ron remains the Australian doyen of the pocket 'toon to this day and, rightly so!

Nonetheless, I was pleased with the hand-cobbled stuff I whipped-up at short notice (with not a small reference to then (as ever) popular Star-Trek). Here they are...

Bring Boats Back!

All I can conclude from the new federal government's performance so far is that being tough on 'border protection' is fruitless if the brains to achieve such an outcome appear non-extant!

With the number of un-forced errors accumulating at an alarming rate ... it seems their immediate future will be fully occupied with grovelling for forgiveness from unhappy neighbors!

Or worse...avoiding a shooting war over careless and/or mindless trampling on their territory and expectations of Australia as a 'good friend'?!

HOT! HOt,Hot,hot,ho.h...

Hotter than a snake's ass in a wagon-rut!

Really... we should give this country back to the indigenous folk ... if only we could con them into taking it!

Mind you, discovery of that 16th century manuscript drawing of a kangaroo/wallaby a day or so ago might lead to the Portuguese being stupid enough to want another go at the southern continent.

Whadaya reckon?

'Cartoon' court intruder?

A Canadian Oz Open hopeful succumbed to the oppressive Melbourne heat at the tennis yesterday. After 'seeing' the Peanuts' strip character Snoopy on the playing surface, poor bloke then fainted and had to be carried off to recuperate and lament a weather-induced failure to advance in the tournament.

Meanwhile, the inimitable Snoopy stated loudly 'it was no place for a dog'.. and, was then heard by some to whisper the rider... " lucky I'm not one!"

Hot as hell?

In case you're not aware, Hell has finally lived up to the threat... and, officially frozen over!

It happened to the town of 'Hell' Michigan on 8 January, when it fell into the grip of a winter weather vortex which engulfed much of North-east USA.

Has nothing to do with today's cartoon. I just thought you'd like to know about such a milestone of history(?)

Believe it or not?

Idling on the internet this morning, I happened on the fact that there is a Ripley's museum in Queensland. Among the exhibits is an apparently authentic Jivaro shrunken head with its mouth  ritually sewn-up during the shrinking process.

Couldn't help myself connecting the sealed lips with current local political controversy.

 

The Asian century!

A recent opinion piece in the Fairfax press reminds us that the anticipated rise of Asian behemoth nations to the fore-front of world-power in the new millennium is gradually becoming a reality. Both in terms of financial and supporting military strength as natural corollaries of one another.

For instance, the economic power of China in terms of trade is already self-evident. So, no surprise in that nation's sudden seemingly bellicose attitude to protection of it's interest in south china sea access. Australia's knee-jerk reaction to China's recent policy declaration, whilst understandable, seemingly fails to appreciate the major power-centre shifts now underway in the region. The shift requires at least careful revision of perhaps 'rusted-on' diplomatic stances born of different times and different circumstances.

In other words ... old notions based on 'gun-boat diplomacy' are no longer appropriate. And, sabre- rattling aimed at our new 'powerful (trading) friend' in the Pacific theatre may just be the height of stupidity in a world already largely bereft of good old common sense?!

  

Wandering down Memory Lane again....

On the first of January, this 'daily' blog passed into it's fourth year of activity. I thought it might be of interest to look back at some of the earliest cartoons which in 2011 were 'pocket' sized due to an 80 x 80 mm limitation to each graphic accompanying script items. Initially, I tried hand-writing the captions as I had done for years on print cartoons. However, a number of readers soon let me know the web reduction was rendering the captions difficult to read for a generally elderly audience... so I was obliged to typeset text fairly early in the piece. That generally remains the norm today even though I connived to get the 'toon space up to double the original size before that site closed down late last year.

Day one and two of the odyssey co-incided with enormously destructive flooding which afflicted much of Queensland... the other 'toons were dated Jan 7 and 8.

In another coincidence we succeeded in losing the Ashes during that week!

Pyneing for western culture?

Well, Christopher... the efficacy of including aspects of 'western cultural values' in your new school curriculum kinda depends on which values you choose to include, What?!

The member for Frankston?

Geoff Shaw is member for the bay-side state electorate of Frankston in the Victorian lower house of parliament. Since his election as a Liberal party candidate in 2010, Geoff has been a bit of an alleged scallywag in the role of MP, so displeasing his government colleagues, that he felt obliged to resign from the parliamentary wing of the Liberal party mid-term. He now sits on the 'cross-benches' as a nominal independent, though remaining a member of the (non-parliamentary) Liberal party. The most embarrassing thing about this imbroglio, is that the Liberals have no majority on the floor of the house and, depend on the support of their former bed-fellow Geoff to pass their legislative program.

The state is due to go to the polls again later this year. Whether or not Mr. Shaw intends to stand is unknown,,, but one certainty is that it wont be as a Liberal party candidate. Latest leak is that the party is looking at someone else to endorse for the very, very marginal seat (won by Shaw last time with a margin of only 0.6%), while everyone else is visualising the possible effect this development will have on Shaw's voting intentions in the remaining legislative sessions prior to the election.

Such are the games pollies play.

   

The Mushroom Club

I'm sure anyone viewing this post will be familiar with the definition of membership which probably has applied to all of us at one time or another during our individual life journeys.

Well, like it or not, courtesy of the new federal government, we've all been given free membership so none of us will be troubled by what we are not being told about their apparently bumbling attempts to masquerade as a credible governing authority.

In my experience, obsessive adoption of secrecy almost always indicates a massive cock-up, or wilful wrong-doing of some kind by the perpetrator(s).

Oz day 'T' shirt controversy

A number of chain stores/supermarkets are voluntarily withdrawing a line of Australia Day Ts from sale, following complaints about latent racist under-tones in some of the logos. Basically, an allusion to 1788 as being the establishment date of Oz is disputed, rightly, because the country had clearly been occupied for +/- 50,000 years before that. The implication being that European colonization is intended to be seen as paramount in Australia Day celebrations and, that might be some kind of throw-back to the now totally discredited White-Australia policy of yesteryear(?)

I personally think it's an over-reaction to a slight mistake made due to an apparent lack of prior research by the manufacturers (in all probability of overseas origin themselves?). What IS mildly  interesting to me, is the fact that these T shirt logos were apparently approved by none other than the office of the prime minister, which is now ducking for cover by saying that they are only required to ensure that proposed use of the FLAG does not alter the flag's design or details in any way. They are not required or authorised to vet accompanying slogans.

HULLO! What happened to good old common sense? Were alarm bells not triggered by the obvious potential for widespread misinterpretation of the words ... or, did they think they were compatible with government policy?

                               
            
                  

Thirteenth man...

... or, politicking by association?

Taking the game to a new level?

Was today's mass celebration of test victory at the Sydney Opera House ( rather than the SCG) confirmation of cricket's elevation to the status of Grand Opera?

Resolutionary?

Two questions come to mind. Does anyone make New Year resolutions any more? If so, does anyone ever pursue converting such resolve into solid fact? Does anyone care anyway?

Sorry, that was three questions.

Five-nil Oi! Oi! Oi!

Just a quick scribble to give shape to a fleeting idea which occurred to me as I heard on a TV news- break tonight, that Australia had made a clean sweep of this summer's 'Ashes' cricket test series.

Remarkable after their form in recent series?

 

Rarebits- the last year.

Last Sunday, I posted examples of the strip from 1986, the first full year of publication. This week, I'm running a sample sequential set of 5 from the last year of publication (1995), showing  the fairly dramatic change of drawing style which occurred cumulatively over the decade of the strip's life.

I'm also posting an updated character group portrait which appeared during 1994. At the time, I thought it might be useful for newer readers after I had concluded a reasonably long diversion into the parallel world of stone-age IT childhood. The 'main-frame' story line had reflected the sale of the 'sunrise' Stone-henge enterprise to a company of Druids... but, happily the same gang of nerds continued to muddle along at the 'coal-face' under the new management.

Sargasso south?

Today, we hear that two ships are now trapped in a sea-ice mass in Antarctica. First it was a Russian cruise vessel ... now one of two ice-breakers sent to help the stranded ship has, itself become locked in the frozen stuff!

Ice becoming the new sea-weed?

Monster observation wheels.

One of these apparently 'must have' wheels opened in Melbourne's swish docklands area back in 2008. However, it only operated for 40 days before closing again because of structural defects. lt opened once more just before xmas 2013 and, is still going as I write this,,, despite a number of publicised minor glitches usually characterised as 'teething problems'.

I wish the enterprise well, though I'm not planning to hop-on for a ride any time soon. Old age is my particular excuse, but I understand some of the choice landmark views which were high-lights of the wheel's initial operation, are now sadly obscured by the rapid high-rise developments put in place since 2008!

In some of life's circumstances, you just can't take a trick!

NYE Grinch?

I know I'm only part of a minority view... but, I think organized New year's eve celebrations are becoming not only a gross waste of money (reportedly +/-14 tonnes of fireworks expended by Melbourne and Sydney events alone) but also dangerous, as the growing mass gatherings of 'revellers' are becoming impossible for police and para-medic personnel to adequately service... especially once the seemingly inevitable 'booze and bash' brigade go into action.

Could someone explain the lasting social and/or promotional value of such events to an apparently out-of-step dumbo like me?

Victorian 2013 road toll.

The state government have commented that at 242, road fatalities in Victoria during calendar year 2013 are the least recorded per annum since 1924! My own childhood memories of the late 30s and war years of the 40s give me the feeling there were not that many motor vehicles on the roads even then... so, one wonders what was killing people in traffic-related accidents back in the early 20s?! Rampant horse and cart drivers?

Whatever, 242 fatalities still generates an awful lot of grief among relatives, friends and neighbours. No room for congratulations on the 2013 achievement, that's for sure.