3 Jul 2008
- More cartoons by Bill Leak
- Recent cartoons by all contributors
Nsw Politics 20 Nov 2008
by Lee Rhiannon and Norman Thompson
The NSW Premier could save himself the agony of another Wollongong-style scandal if he found his backbone and kicked off political funding reform in NSW, write Lee Rhiannon and Norman Thompson
Federal Politics 18 Nov 2008
by Ben Eltham
The first episode of the ABC's four-part series reminds us how divisive and partisan that great "centrist" really was, writes Ben Eltham
Indigenous Politics 14 Nov 2008
by Marcia Langton
An endemic pattern of violence plagues Aboriginal family and community life, writes Marcia Langton, as she calls for an end to "big men" politics
Nsw Economy 12 Nov 2008
by Bob Dumpling
Years of bad government are catching up with NSW — now their rulers are turning some strange economic tricks to dig themselves out of trouble. Bob Dumpling dissects the mini-budget
Industry 12 Nov 2008
by Ben Eltham
This week federal Minister for Industry Kim Carr released a $6.2 billion automotive industry assistance package. What it is about cars that so fascinates politicians?
Treasury 7 Nov 2008
by Ben Eltham
As the budget surplus evaporates, will many of Rudd's election promises too — or does Wayne Swan have the political guts to run a deficit?
DOCS 4 Nov 2008
by Alex Mitchell
Last year the number of children who died while known to the NSW Department of Community Services rose to 156 — that's three per week. Alex Mitchell takes a hard look at new Minister Linda Burney's daunting task
Federal Politics 3 Nov 2008
by Ben Eltham
Kevin Rudd's inquiry-driven approach to policy making conceals a surprising amount of policy-on-the-run, writes Ben Eltham
Small Business 6 Nov 2008
by Evan Jones
In view of Westpac's takeover of St George, Evan Jones wonders what is driving the Rudd Government's small business agenda
Economics 5 Nov 2008
by Alan Thornhill
The Government may be hoping the US election distracts people from today's grim Treasury news, but it also wants people to prepare for the worst, writes Alan Thornhill
Financial Crisis 21 Oct 2008
by Ben Eltham
The next phase of the economic crisis could be a crash in Australian property prices, writes Ben Eltham
Blogwatch 20 Oct 2008
by Newmatilda.com
Are they feeling positive yet? No. Ok, how about NOW? We take a look at the weird and emotionally charged world of the trader blogs
Financial Crisis 17 Oct 2008
by Luke Fletcher
Luke Fletcher went to the World Bank/IMF Annual Meeting on the weekend and found the head honchos all set to clean up the mess they helped make
Financial Crisis 15 Oct 2008
by Ben Eltham
Kevin Rudd's fiscal stimulus package reveals how little power national governments now have in the face of global capital markets, writes Ben Eltham
Wall St Crisis 14 Oct 2008
by Geoff Davies
The way banks work means their problems become ours too. But does it have to be this way? Geoff Davies thinks not
Uk Bailout 9 Oct 2008
by Tim Soutphommasane
Gordon Brown's decision to partially nationalise British banks has many Brits wondering whether they should start relearning the words to the Internationale, writes Tim Soutphommasane from London
Same-sex Marriage 19 Nov 2008
by Sunili Govinnage
The "sanctity" of marriage is undermined more by heterosexual couples every day than by the prospect of same-sex matrimony, writes Sunili Govinnage
Inter-country Adoption 18 Nov 2008
by Ian Robinson
Deborra-Lee Furness wants us to import a lot more children from other countries for the Australian adoption market — but it's an ignorant and selfish approach to the problem of child poverty, writes Ian Robinson
Capital Punishment 17 Nov 2008
by Julian Burnside
If the Australian Government really is opposed to the death penalty, it must condemn it in absolute terms, writes Julian Burnside
Blogwatch 11 Nov 2008
by Newmatilda.com
Blogs that validate anorexia are one of the potential targets of the Government's internet censorship plan. What do these bloggers have to say on the subject, and why should we listen?
National Pride 10 Nov 2008
by Bob Dumpling
For the past eight years, that has been the default reaction to most of our national inadequacies, writes Bob Dumpling. We no longer have the United States to kick around
Youth 4 Nov 2008
by Colin Stokes
Kids are bashing the hell out of each other on YouTube, but why are they doing it? And is youth violence really getting that much worse?
Law 31 Oct 2008
by Michelle Schwarz
He was the most powerful Aboriginal man in the country until he was accused of raping four women. Michelle Schwarz retraces the controversial downfall of former ATSIC Commissioner Geoff Clark
Us Election 30 Oct 2008
by Mark Connelly
Certain black figures become bridges across the racial divide that many whites want to cross, writes Mark Connelly. Barack Obama is such a figure
Editorial 11 Nov 2008
by Marni Cordell
Mark Scott wants the ABC to be Australia's "town square", where any Joe Plumber can take part in the conversation. But is that really the best role for a national broadcaster — or will it come at the expense of quality, specialist journalism?
Editorial 5 Nov 2008
by Newmatilda.com
He has pledged to change the world. Is Obama up to the massive task ahead?
Editorial 14 Oct 2008
by Marni Cordell
The report of Rudd's review into the NT Intervention will come as no surprise to many. So why did Labor back the slap-dash policy in the first place?
Editorial 7 Oct 2008
by Newmatilda.com
We'll be covering the final weeks of the US election campaign from the ground
Editorial 16 Sep 2008
by Brendan Phelan
The sideshow is over. With Malcolm Turnbull as leader of the Opposition, the Rudd Government is going to have to step up its performance
Editorial 19 Aug 2008
by Marni Cordell
Today Kevin Rudd will take his message to the Pacific: this time we really do want to be your friend. If that's the case, he'd be wise to drop some of the old-school rhetoric
Editorial 14 Aug 2008
by Newmatilda.com
A heads up from the newmatilda.com jacuzzi
Editorial 13 Feb 2008
by Marni Cordell
It's sobering to think it was 15 years ago that Paul Keating stood in a park in Redfern and acknowledged that it was "we who did the dispossessing", writes Marni Cordell
Climate Change 28 Oct 2008
by Gabrielle Kuiper
When he decided it was a bit cheaper to save the world than to let it die, how did Garnaut miss the huge economic opportunities that go with it?
Activism 10 Oct 2008
by Peter Lewis
We should not be fighting against global warming, argues Peter Lewis, but for a society that manages the challenges of a warmer world in smarter ways
Climate Change 7 Oct 2008
by Ben Eltham
Built on flawed Treasury modelling, Garnaut's final Report shows that Canberra still believes in economic models that don't work, rather than climate models that do
Climate Change 2 Oct 2008
by Geoff Davies
What would the climate change debate sound like if Treasury shut up for a while, wonders Geoff Davies
Blogwatch 29 Sep 2008
by Newmatilda.com
Many types of renewable energy are fast becoming mainstream. Now meet some that aren't – yet
Development 25 Sep 2008
by Flint Duxfield
Did Rudd's advisers muddle up the briefing papers? This week, the UN General Assembly will discuss the Millenium Development Goals, not the global financial crisis - or Our Missy
Climate Change 24 Sep 2008
by Christine Milne
In his speech to the UN, Kevin Rudd will commit $100 million trying to make clean coal work, in the hope that other countries will follow suit. But his plan is useless, damaging and risky
Climate Change 24 Sep 2008
by Ian Lowe
Professor Ian Lowe's simple guide to why coal will always be a dirty fuel
West Papua 19 Nov 2008
by Setyo Budi
The response of the Australian Government to recent events in West Papua should be led by a concern for human rights — not bilateral relations, writes Setyo Budi
Us Politics 13 Nov 2008
by Andrew West
The result of last week's US election was determined long before Obama was even a candidate for the Senate, let alone the presidency, writes Andrew West
Foreign Policy 12 Nov 2008
by Antony Loewenstein
Talking about morality in international affairs is easy. What about action? Antony Loewenstein examines the tough foreign policy challenges facing the President-elect
Cambodia-Thailand 11 Nov 2008
by Bryan Havenhand
The stand-off between Thai and Cambodian troops over the Preah Vihear temple is the latest episode in a difficult, 1000-year relationship, writes Bryan Havenhand
Foreign Policy 10 Nov 2008
by Mustafa Qadri
In its last days in office, the Bush Administration is hurriedly escalating the so-called war on terrorism, writes Mustafa Qadri
Ukraine 7 Nov 2008
by Gregor Stronach
Following the dissolution of parliament last month, will Ukraine turn to the West or to the East? Gregor Stronach looks at the turmoil of a forgotten election
Us Election 6 Nov 2008
by David Hollier and Jess Hill
After their epic trek across the US, our election correspondents get swept up in Chicago's joyous mayhem on election night, and hear that already-famous speech first-hand
Us Election 5 Nov 2008
by Robert L Borosage
Neo-cons are already preparing to resist change under an Obama administration. A win today will be just the beginning of some very hard yards, writes Robert L Borosage
China 21 Nov 2008
by Dan Edwards
Why do the Chinese get so touchy about their country's image? After a series of difficult conversations outside Beijing cinemas, Dan Edwards has a few ideas
Censorship 20 Nov 2008
by Raena Lea-Shannon
Raena Lea-Shannon unravels the web of intrigue surrounding the Communications Minister's internet censorship plan
Media 19 Nov 2008
by David Ingram
Why did Mary Kostakidis really quit? What made Stratton and Pomeranz flee to the ABC? You won't find your answers in The SBS Story, writes David Ingram
Media 18 Nov 2008
by Jennifer Bennett
Jennifer Bennett surveys the Australian media's coverage of the Bali bombers' execution
Blogwatch 17 Nov 2008
by Newmatilda.com
We've seen the future of online politics, but most politicians apparently haven't. Even the ones with a web presence usually sound like they'd really rather be out kissing babies
Media 17 Nov 2008
by Clive Hamilton
Cuts to journalistic staff across the media industry — and a decade of "anti-intellectual" government — have left a gaping hole in our public conversation, writes Clive Hamilton. Non-fiction books are filling it
Cartooning 14 Nov 2008
by Fiona Katauskas
newmatilda.com cartoonist Fiona Katauskas puts paid to the theory that chicks aren't funny
Democracy 13 Nov 2008
by Nick Moraitis
Obama's win showed how important technology and real grassroots ownership will be in future contests — lessons that KevinPM.com hasn't understood yet
Satire 21 Nov 2008
by Ben Pobjie
Ben Pobjie puts on his Ken Done t-shirt, whips up a quick pav, and gets ready to welcome the hordes of sunburnt tourists that Baz has invited round for a barbie
Satire 13 Nov 2008
by Ben Pobjie
John and Jenny Deaves are back. But this time they've brought Shayne the bisexual father-of-three with them, writes Ben Pobjie
Satire 6 Nov 2008
by Ben Pobjie
And so it is over. The most historic election any of us will see until we see another one has ended with victory for Barack Obama. We've entered a new, slightly different era, writes Ben Pobjie
Satire 31 Oct 2008
by Ben Pobjie
Who do the Turks think they are, digging up the remains of Anzacs? What did we Australians ever do to them, asks an outraged Ben Pobjie
Satire 23 Oct 2008
by Ben Pobjie
Are modern children too thick for school? Should we hire Shakespeare as a casual History teacher? Ben Pobjie asks some tough questions that Tony Abbott will probably try to answer
Satire 16 Oct 2008
by Ben Pobjie
You didn't want him. You didn't vote for him. You don't have the slightest idea what he's talking about. But you need him, now more than ever, writes Ben Pobjie
Satire 9 Oct 2008
by Ben Pobjie
Our big brother across the Pacific has lost its way and needs our help, writes Ben Pobjie. Ask not what the United States can do for you...
Satire 2 Oct 2008
by Ben Pobjie
Ben Pobjie is friends with many taxpayers. And he's angry they will have to foot the bill for the indolent and fertile
Bill Leak suffered his first attack of culture shock in 1956 when, having fully expected to be born in Madrid, his birth took place in Adelaide. Predictably, he drifted into cartooning and painting. He has been drawing for The Australian since 1994.
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