It is fair to say the Right has been feeling the ideological pinch lately. While the fussing and feuding has been going on, the Hard Left in Australia continues its moral decay at an impressive clip with hardly a mention.
Take the animal liberationist group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Usually PETA spends the bulk of its energy and time routinely supplying the ABC’s Four Corners with free footage, allowing the current affairs program to work within its budget. It’s a win-win, provided you’re a card-carrying member of PETA or a journo with an insatiable thirst for a gold Walkley.
Yesterday it surfaced PETA had written to the management of Hunters and Collectors urging the band to change its name to something less violent and antagonistic. The thought being the band, first formed in 1981, might now be inadvertently encouraging young kiddies to load up the shotties, the pig dogs and several cartons of Emu Bitter and go out blasting away at ecosystems various in a frivolous manner.
Full column here.
The paintbrush and quill
In the hands of our Bill,
Were used with deft strokes and aplomb;
He was the best of the best
And as he now lays to rest
Its ever so sad that he’s gone.
Nice one, Carl!
I shall miss Bill Leak – each morning I would go directly to the spot where his cartoon was and be disappointed if it was somebody else.
Condolences to yourself Jack. You have lost a good friend.
Australia has lost a person who was capable of cutting through the PC bullshit and setting us all thinking.
The cartoonists who are left can never get past their PC bias and refuse to go anywhere near the many taboo subjects in our society. They do not come anywhere near Leak.
Vale Bleak…feel bad about this. I know I have said some things like Bill not being funny anymore but if you check back I also wrote my all time favourite toon was always one of his. The one depicting Howard or Rudd (Can’t remember) being wedged in Obama’s bum. So so funny. What a classic and will probably always be my favourite. When I went through the 40 odd toons in the Oz today I was amazed that one was not put up,
I guess they were spoilt for choice, Bassy. So many, all good
Oh Jack, I am shocked at the news of Bill Leak’s death. Condolences to his family who with Bill have endured more than they should have over the last year or so, and to you his great mate.
I’ve never known anyone who could scoff at adversity in the way Bill did. We have just lost a shining knight of the rights of the individual. I turned to his cartoon first thing after picking up the paper each morning, now there will be a blank frame where he once ruled.
The Ides of March has come early.
I wasn’t trying to be clairvoyant but today’s Aus was filled with the appropriate tributes to Leak, none more so than the blank canvas with his signature.
Always remembered, never forgotten.
Terrible news. Bill Leak. Genius. Too young.
RIP BLeak
Very sad to hear of Bill Leak’s passing today. 61 is far too young.
I know I’m one of those who disagreed with the content of many of his cartoons and thought he might have misplaced his sense of humour, but he was still probably the best artist out of all of the cartooning fraternity in this country that I’m aware of. Then again the former is just my subjective opinion and likely amounts to less than a knoll of beans.
My condolences to his family.
Bill Leak dead. Heart attack. Bugger.
Shocked and saddened by the untimely passing of Bill Leak. His sharp and wicked sense of humor will be missed. Condolences to this family, friends and colleagues. Rest in Peace Bill.
Very sad to hear about Bleak Jack. I know you were good mates. Commiserations. Vale.