National Museum of Australia - Australia Day 2004

Cartoon by Bill Leak
The Australian
26 January 2004

Australia Day celebrates and commemorates the arrival of convicts and their jailers from Britain on 26 January 1788 on the First Fleet.

Governor Phillip landed and claimed the area for the British Crown, without any permission from the Aboriginal people.

In 2002 and 2003 the Commonwealth Government passed laws protecting the border security of Australia against the unauthorised arrival of people claiming refugee status. In explaining its attitude the Government frequently used similar phrases to the one in the cartoon.

Cartoon by Geoff Pryor
Canberra Times
26 January 2004

Early in 2004 Prime Minister Howard claimed that many parents were transferring their children from state to private secondary schools because the state schools did not promote appropriate values.

Cartoon by Alan Moir
Sydney Morning Herald
26 January 2004

'Waltzing Matilda' is a famous Australian song.

Cartoon by Chris Kelly
Green Left Weekly
28 January 2004

Cartoon published with permission of www.greenleft.org.au.
In early 2004 there was a news report that the United States was interested in setting up a joint training base in Australia.

Cartoon by Warren Brown
Sydney Daily Telegraph
26 January 2004

Early in 2004 'crocodile man' and Queensland person of the year Steve Irwin, a great admirer of Prime Minister John Howard, fed a crocodile with one hand while holding his infant child with the other. This act generated much criticism by some people.

Cartoon by Colin Wicking
Alice Springs Centralian Advocate
27 January 2004

Every year an Australian Honours list is published for Australia Day, with awards to people who have contributed to the nation.

Australia Day 2004

CARTOON PERSPECTIVES

Image Gallery Page Navigation