Adjudication No. 1252 (September 2004) [2004] APC 27

Adjudication No. 1252 (September 2004)

Martin Luther has complained to the Australian Press Council about a Bill Leak cartoon published in the Weekend Australian of 26-27 June 2004. The cartoon labeled "The Howard Youth" depicts the Prime Minister leading a group of young people in a Nazi-style salute of the Australian flag.

The cartoon was a comment on John Howard's government's decision that only schools that fly the Australian flag will receive federal funding. In his rebuttal the cartoonist agrees he exaggerated the position of the Prime Minister on this issue to the point of absurdity but argues that this is a long-established principle of how cartoonists work.

Mr Luther claims the cartoon breaches several Press Council principles. He acknowledges that many cartoons use exaggeration but that this one is "over the top" and "goes too far" in his view.

The Australian and Mr Leak argue that the cartoon does not breach Press Council's principles or guidelines as applied to cartoon comment. Their rebuttal quotes from previous adjudications which show the Council has afforded cartoonists wide licence to comment on daily events, including the use of exaggeration as a legitimate device.

Further The Australian points out it published three letters of complaint about the Leak cartoon in its very next edition, on Monday 28 June. Mr Luther argues that one of the three letters published was in support of the cartoon. A careful reading of the letters shows they all complain.

The Council accepts that cartoonists have to be able to exaggerate to express their point of view. The fact that in most instances some people will be offended by political cartoons is not a legitimate basis for censoring the work of cartoonists. Nor is it a justification for upholding this complaint. In any case, The Australian moved quickly to publish letters critical of the cartoon.