The twentieth-anniversary edition of this much-loved annual collection brings you the last year in politics, as observed by Australia's funniest and most perceptive political cartoonists.2022- the year we slapped ourselves on the back for a job well done, and put the last few awful years behind us.
Well, maybe not. High vaccination rates liberated us from the grind of COVID lockdowns, but not from the virus's uncontrolled spread and continuing high - if largely ignored - death rates. Spared fires, at least, it was the turn of flooding rains to stress-test our resilience, destroying lives and livelihoods in the process.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine reminded us that history - and geopolitics - was well and truly alive, And in our backyard, the regular amping-up of the China threat threw the Anglo band back together in AUKUS.
If all that wasn't bad enough, we had the grinding tedium of a six-week ideas-free election campaign between a clamorous but intellectually torpid incumbent and a timid, risk-averse opposition. Clive's liberation yellow was everywhere, but it was the colour teal and a bunch of smart, thoughtful women who emerged from the Liberal heartlands, demanding integrity in government and action on climate, that most freaked out the Coalition.
It was all enough to make you want to head for a well-deserved holiday in Hawaii.
Featuring Australia's finest cartoonists, including Alston, Broelman, Dyson, First Dog, Golding, Katauskas, Knight, Kudelka, Leak, Moir, Pope, Rowe, Wilcox, and more ...
'As a chronicler of Australia's recent political cartoon history, Radcliffe's work is unmatched. Searching and witty, but straightforward introductions provide a retrospective of the year being chronicled ... With Cathy Wilcox on the front, and Matt Golding on the back, the covers sandwich the Who's Who of Australian cartooning ... Still, in a world of near-constant chaos, it's nice to be able to rank Radcliffe's volumes up there with death and taxes. We need a few certainties in life.'
-Richard Scully, The Conversation'Often, political cartoonists get to the heart of a complex matter or expose a fallacy. They make us think more deeply or analytically about current affairs. They have an impact, in other words, and may even influence a politician or two. And while they tend to reflect the political leanings of the publications that host them, Australian cartoonists enjoy a degree of editorial freedom ... In many respects 2022 was a particularly bad year, but for the most part, 'bad' is what cartoonists thrive on. So it is hardly surprising that this year's collection by 'Australia's funniest and most perceptive cartoonists' is an essential purchase for anyone cursed with an interest in politics and blessed with a sense of humour.'
-Erich Mayer, ArtsHub starred review
'Those after some light humour to finish off 2022 will appreciate this annual collection by Russ Radcliffe of the best Australian political cartoons of the year. From the federal election campaign to climate change and the devastating floods, to the politicising of COVID-19 and the tragedy of Ukraine, the cartoons cover all the highs, and lows, of the political year. They range from the very funny to the bitingly satirical to the nicely reflective. There are also some great jabs at the political influence of the Murdoch press. A good gift and an amusing, and occasionally sad, reminder of a difficult year.'
-Jeff Popple, Canberra Weekly
