cartoonist, worked as a cartographer and publican then joined the West Australian in 1986. He had his first editorial cartoons published there in 1987, which he drew in tandem with Dave Gaskill . When Gaskill left in 1988, he took over as sole editorial cartoonist and was still there in the early 2000s. He has said he unashamedly follows in the footsteps of Bill Mitchell and Paul Rigby . Won first prize for Comic Strip ('Skooldaze’) in the 1996 Rotary National and International Cartoon Awards, Coffs Harbour (ill. Inkspot 28, Spring 1997, p.46). 'Gold’, 'Fish and Chips’ [on Pauline Hanson] and 'Malingering’, published in the West Australian on 10 July 1997, 31 October 1996 and 7 May 1997, were exhibited in Bringing the House Down: 12 Months of Australian Political Humour (Canberra: National Museum of Australia/ Old Parliament House exhibition, 1997), cats 37, 44, 71. Had two cartoons in Bringing the House Down 2001 (and presumably the intervening years).
A self-portrait in the Weekend Australian 1-7 April 1999, p.6, was accompanied by the comment:
“My job is to comment on the news, hopefully in a funny way and to excite a bit of comment along the way. It doesn’t matter who’s in power, they are all interesting. Keating was pure theatre. Marvellous to draw. Physically Howard is less flamboyant but no less interesting. I try to draw for a very wide readership – one day whimsy, the next savage – but mainly I try to keep it understandable and funny.”
The panel commented:
“The artist: 'His cartoons are consistently good but his best work is never published.’ The politician: 'Hits the spot more often than not.’ “
- Writers:
- Kerr, Joan
Note:
- Date written:
- 1996
- Last updated:
- 2007
