Entertainment
19 July, 2025
Toons tickle fancy of pollies
A NEW exhibition at the Cairns Museum captures the political career of Warren Entsch through the satirical lens of Cairns Post cartoonist Harry Bruce.
‘Politically Spruiking’ charts Mr Entsch’s rise from croc country to Canberra, using framed cartoons, clippings and campaign memorabilia to spotlight the controversies, causes and characters that shaped his 26 years in Parliament.
“There’s a lot of laughter in these walls and a few hard truths too,” Mr Entsch said.
“You’ve got to be able to laugh at yourself in this game. If you can’t take a joke, you’re in the wrong business.”
Much of the collection, which previously covered the walls of Mr Entsch’s Canberra office, captures everything from his early days as a croc-catching newcomer to his later work as a marriage equality advocate, Reef envoy and international tuberculosis champion.
“This is a legacy moment,” said Cairns Historical Society executive officer Dr Sandi Robb. “Warren was clear that he wanted this to stay in the north, where the stories happened. Normally collections like this would go straight to Canberra. But it belongs here,” she said.
Known for supporting both controversial and bipartisan causes, Mr Entsch’s caricatures span political highs and lows, from his clashes with party leadership to his instrumental role in pushing through Australia’s marriage equality reforms in 2017.
Many of the cartoons are playful, but none are censored.
“I didn’t just keep the flattering ones,” Mr Entsch laughed. “Some of them are pretty brutal, but they’re part of the story.”
Mr Entsch also credited cartoonist Harry Bruce for helping capture the spirit of regional politics.
“He’s got imagination. He turned me into everything from a cowboy to a concrete baron to a cigar-chewing croc wrangler. I bought every original.”
Mr Bruce said the enduring Leichhardt representative had long been a “favourite subject.”
“Warren has a colourful back story, a bold moustache and politics that could be unpredictable and brave, particularly during the same-sex marriage debate. He’s a top bloke and I hope I’ve done his journey justice.”
Politically Spruiking runs until September 22 at the Cairns Museum, ground floor gallery, which will permanently house the collection.
