Adjudication No. 371 (June 1988) [1988] APC 18

ADJUDICATION No. 371 (June 1988)

Mr G Francis complains to the Australian Press Council concerning an article published in The Bulletin on 26 January 1988 which shows two policemen standing in a prison, with an Aboriginal male in the background. His head is in a noose hanging from the ceiling and one of the policemen is offering a cake to the other and saying "THEY DON'T LISTEN EITHER ... I TOLD HIM THERE WAS BIRTHDAY CAKE TO COME". Mr Francis complained that a major problem in Australia was trivialised in such a way. He states that the stereotyping of Aborigines or any peoples is latent racism. The cartoon, he states, is repulsive and racially indecent; it is a slight on freedom of the press and all Australians.

The Bulletin argues that Mr Francis has entirely misunderstood the intention of the cartoonist. The editor states that he believes the cartoon to be a savage satire on racist policemen. There is no intention to criticise Aborigines - quite the contrary - it attacks those who maltreat Aborigines. He is confident that most readers would have understood the cartoon in this way.

A cartoon is an expression of opinion; by its nature it uses extremes in the form of caricatures. Hence considerable licence is given to cartoonists. The subject here, that of black deaths in prison, is one which is a most sensitive issue, and which deserves sensitive treatment in the press. However the cartoon itself in the first instance seems insensitive. While it depicts the two police officers as clearly racist, must one conclude that the cartoon itself is racist? The two police officers are not shown as endearing characters - the suggestion seems to be that they are uncaring oafs and one at least seems to be vicious. The figure hanging in the background is stark and arresting. It reminds us of the tragedy which continues in Australia. The comments of the two police are so evidently cruel, arrogant and racist that the cartoon could not be said to be endorsing their position. They are apparently put to us to shock us.

The Bulletin is a quality review whose readership would have had little difficulty in comprehending the meaning of this cartoon.

The complaint is dismissed.