Skip to content

The Museum has a new ticketing system. Read our FAQs

  • 9am–5pm
  • Free general admission
  • Shop
Donate today

Brendan Nelson's rapid ascent to the leadership of the Liberal Party was undermined by falling opinion polls. Despite the outward show of support from many party colleagues, a leadership showdown with an ambitious Malcolm Turnbull was inevitable. After a hasty party room ballot instigated by Nelson in September, Turnbull emerged as the new leader of the party.

Political cartoon in the style of the Jetsons. It shows Brendan Nelson piloting a green spaceship, with Jane, Judy and Elroy on board. They are flying above numerous cars on a tangle of roads below. Nelson says 'There's no such thing as inflation and petrol's always sixpence a gallon...'. Cartoonist Bill Leak signs the cartoon 'with apologies to Hanna-Barbera'. - click to view larger image
'Planet Brendan' by Bill Leak
Political cartoon showing Brendan Nelson standing behind a small lectern in the foreground and asking 'Any Questions?' Behind him looms a large wall of words and symbols, including several snakes and ladders. Many words, including 'carbon trading', 'Kevin Rudd', 'Malcolm Turnbull', 'Senate', and 'scientific advice' appear several times. - click to view larger image
'Brendan Nelson policy statement' by Lindsay Foyle
Political cartoon of Liberal Party members at sea aboard a log raft. Brendan Nelson stands in the foreground looking bedraggled, with two bandaids on his forehead. A dead cat with 'AWAs' on the front hangs from a chain around his neck. Julie Bishop stands beside Nelson. A diary page in the top right corner reads 'Captain's log: Day 86 since the sinking of the
'Captain's log' by David Pope
Political cartoon of Brendan Nelson slipping down a waterfall beside a sign which reads 'Danger: do not swim alone'. The stream is named 'Politics' and crocodiles lurk on the far bank. Malcolm Turnbull rests on a tree on the near bank with his arms crossed. Peter Costello stands beside him reading a book. Further up the stream, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard both sport haloes, and are about to baptise a man. They are watched by a man standing on the bank with '2020' on the back of his shirt. - click to view larger image
'The baptism of Brendan' by John Spooner
Political cartoon featuring the text 'Nelson 2007-?' in the top left. Brendan Nelson is in the foreground, with blood spurting from his right arm. He wears a naval hat and coat. A piece of paper which reads '(L)iberal Part(y) 45 vote(s) juts from his coat. Malcolm Turnbull walks away from Nelson saying 'No seriously... congratulations. And you know who to call if you ever need a hand'. Turnbull carries Nelson's severed arm on his shoulder and a piece of paper which reads '42 vote(s)'. Julie Bishop is Nelson's left. - click to view larger image
'Admiral Nelson' by David Rowe
Political cartoon of Malcolm Turnbull wearing a blue jacket, white shirt and tie. The cartoonist has exaggerated the size of Mr Turnbull's head and chin. Mr Turnbull looks to the right of the image. He is visible from about chest level upwards and has his arms in front of him toward the bottom of the image. His hands are clasped in front of his chest; the fingers are pink and wrinkled. The upper fingers have a light brown tinge. Long sharp claws emerge from each finger. He smiles disingenuously and has on his face an expression of cunning and guile. - click to view larger image
'Turnbull – claws out' by John Spooner
Political cartoon of which reads 'As I was walking up the stair, I met a man who wasn't there, He wasn't there again today, The polls say he won't go away'. It shows Brendan Nelson climbing a staircase. A man reading a paper with the headline 'Costello leads poll' walks down the stairs. Wilcox signs her name 'with apologies'. - click to view larger image
'Brendan before the fall' by Cathy Wilcox
Political cartoon of eight panels showing Brendan Nelson dressed as a double agent in trench coat and dark glasses. He visits Bob Hawke, Paul Keating and Gough Whitlam in the underground ALP headquarters. Comic strip top left: 'The Further Adventures of Brendan Nelson: Double Agent' showing Nelson looking out from under dark glasses and saying 'I've never voted Liberal in my life!', beside a close up illustration of an ear with an earring. Top right: The text 'Deep under ALP HQ' is at the top of the panel. Nelson, wearing a trench coat and dark glasses, climbs down wall-mounted ladder rungs and says 'Greetings comrades'. Bob Hawke says ''Quick! Come in quietly you idiot!' Gough Whitlam, in a wheelchair being pushed by Paul Keating, says 'Calm down Bob'. Second row left: Brendan looks from under glasses and says 'Comrade – what's wrong? I'm nine per cent in the polls – I thought you'd be thrilled!' Hawke says 'You're overdoing (bold) it! It's too obvious (bold)!) Whitlam says 'Bob – the boy's under a lot of pressure'. Second row centre: Bob spits 'Saying sorry! Scrapping AWAs! – Why not just sing the Internationale at party meetings?!' to which Nelson responds 'But...' Second row right: Keating says 'What Bob means is you've got to be subtle (bold and underlined). Try to be unelectable without calling attention to yourself'. Whitlam hands Nelson a CD and says 'Some old Beazley press conferences – study them'. Third row left: Nelson says 'I'd be better if I could just wear my earring...' Hawke says 'The frigging earring again! You're not wearing the earring! How many conservative leaders have you seen wearing earrings?!' Nelson says "Um... Maggie Thatcher' and Hawke responds 'Don't be a smart arse'. Third row centre: Keating holds his hand to his forehead, Hawke says 'Look, just try and act like a conservative, OK? Blanche says she saw you at the Manuka shops wearing a 'Kevin 07' t-shirt'. Whitlam covers both eyes with his hands and says 'Oh sweet Jesus' while Nelson looks downcast. Third row right: 'How long till his cover is blown? Stay tuned ...' with an image of the ear and earring at the bottom. - click to view larger image
'The further adventures of Brendan Nelson: double agent' by Andrew Weldon
Political cartoon of Malcolm Turnbull with an oversized head and formal attire. He is dancing in front of a smiling Nick Minchin, who is seated behind a table which is in the centre of the frame and bears the sign 'So you think you can lead?' Minchin is smoking a cigarette in a long, slim holder and rests his elbow on the table. A jug and glass are on top of the table. In the background there is a corrugated water tank and stand. The landscape is brown and barren. - click to view larger image
'So you think you can lead?' by Rocco Fazzari

Explore more 2008 cartoons

View more
Peak oil
Climate change
Swings and roundabouts
Market meltdown
The day after

You may also like

Visit
Defining Moments
Museum blog
Prime Ministers of Australia
Friends
Return to Top