21 January 2003
A topical cartoon on the search for weapons of mass destruction has won Fairfax contributor Ron Tandberg the National Museum of Australia's 2002 Political Humour Award.
Receipts, published in The Age last September, was judged the best of 100 cartoons currently on display at the Museum as part of the Cartoons 2002: Life, Love and Politics exhibition.
High commendations were awarded to John Spooner for two illustrations published in The Age last year and The Australian cartoonist Peter Nicholson.
'Tandberg's cartoon was apposite, penetrating and had the scalpel edge of truth,' said competition judge and former Labor minister Barry Jones.
Barry Jones will present Ron Tandberg with his award and the $1000 first prize in the Friends Lounge at the National Museum of Australia at 11.00am tomorrow, Wednesday 22 January.
Fellow judge and former National Party leader Ian Sinclair said Tandberg's pocket cartoon was well-drawn, conveyed a strong and significant message and had continuing relevance.
'The cartoons across the board were generally of a very high standard. The substance and significance and the level of drawing excellence is very much to be commended,' Mr Sinclair said.
Cartoons 2002 curator Guy Hansen encouraged exhibition visitors to vote for their favourite cartoon in the People's Choice Award, to be announced on 12 March.
Cartoons 2002 is at the National Museum of Australia, in conjunction with the Leunig Animated exhibition, until 17 March. It travels to Melbourne and Perth later in the year.
Mr Tandberg's work has appeared in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. He is the winner of eight Walkley awards for best cartoon and two Gold Walkley awards.
For more information or copies of the winning cartoon please contact Martin Portus at the National Museum on 02 6208 5351 or 0409 916 481 or email m.portus@nma.gov.au