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The debate over the government's desire to establish an Emissions Trading Scheme dominated politics throughout the year. While the complexities of the legislation and technical nature of the debate confused many, cartoonists worked hard to reveal the motivations of politicians and the consequences of inaction on climate change.

A colour cartoon depicting Kevin Rudd, wearing a red suit and oversized shoes. He steps to the front of the frame, leaving large black footprints behind him. 'Keep on carbon ...' is written in large bubble text at the top. - click to view larger image — 'Keep on carbon ...' by John Tiedemann

A colour cartoon depicting Kevin Rudd dressed as a superhero, in red and blue costume and cape, wrestles a small snake. The snake has green and gold stripes and the text 'Global financial crisis' written on its body. Mr Rudd stands in the opened mouth of a much larger python, labelled 'Global warming'. This snake has black and white stripes, red eyes and sharp fangs. - click to view larger image — 'Python' by Alan Moir

A colour cartoon depicting the stern of a large ocean liner, named the 'Emissions Target Titanic' riding high in the sea, with the propellers above the water line. Above on deck, two people carrying chairs appear under the text: 'Kevin and Penny rearrange the deckchairs, safe in the knowledge they are eliminating the threat of icebergs'. Black smoke from the ship merges with red clouds in the background. - click to view larger image — 'Titanic emissions' by Matt Golding

A colour cartoon depicting the skeleton of a duck saying, 'I hear you're a climate change skeptic' to another live duck, with yellow beak, blue head, a white collar and black body. The second duck says, 'Bloody quacks'. Behind the skeleton is barren red ground; behind the live duck is lush green grass. - click to view larger image — 'Climate change skeptic ducks' by Reg Lynch

A colour cartoon depicting Kevin Rudd wandering through a hot desert landscape, with dead tree stumps in the background, and a cattle skull in the foreground. Mr Rudd carries a document headed 'ETS' and over his shoulders he wears a placard which says, 'Climate change – the end is nigh'. 'Is nigh' has been crossed out and replaced with 'can wait'. - click to view larger image — 'The end can wait' by Greg Smith

A colour cartoon titled 'Professor Fielding's American vacation ...'. Steve Fielding emerges from an aeroplane and stands at the top of the stairway, dressed as a tourist. He shouts 'Eureka!', carries 'Global Warming Sceptics Conference' showbags and wears Mickey Mouse style ears and an oversized 'Heartland Institute' foam hand. The plane door is labelled 'Business-as-usual' class and the Australian flag and coat of arms appears on the side of the stairs. The coat of arms shows the kangaroo standing beside a smoking kettle barbecue, its pouch full of what looks like coal, while the emu buries its head. - click to view larger image — 'Eureka!' by David Pope

A black and white cartoon depicting Kevin Rudd standing on the rim of a large chimney stack. A plume of thick black smoke bellows up from the stack. Penny Wong stands at the top of a ladder, reaching up to Mr Rudd, who says, 'The cork please Penny ...'. - click to view larger image — 'The cork please Penny ...' by Vince O'Farrell

A colour cartoon depicting Malcolm Turnbull, saying 'We have a few climate change sceptics in the party but it's nothing I can't handle,' walks among a herd of large dinosaurs. A small figure at the bottom right says, 'They look kinda lively for a bunch of old fossils'. - click to view larger image — 'Climate change sceptics' by Mark Knight

A colour cartoon depicting Kevin Rudd and another man stand beside a large, mainly blank canvas, looking at a box marked '1,000,000 piece climate change jigsaw'. The box contains numerous small jigsaw pieces and others are strewn about the floor. Penny Wong stands on the canvas, where a few pieces have been placed. - click to view larger image — 'Climate change' by Neil Matterson

A colour cartoon depicting a congested traffic scene, with cars covered in a grey plume of smoke. Travelling in the opposite direction to the cars, and depicted in bright colour, is an ark pulled by two people riding a bicycle. The rear cyclist gives a happy wave to the cars. The ark carries a home with solar panels on the roof, a water tank and windmill, two potted fruit trees and pairs of dogs, chickens, sheep and cows. Road signs show the ark headed for 'Dream works ahead' and advise to 'Reduce speed'. A sign across the top of the highway shows them travelling the direction of the 'Stress exit'. - click to view larger image — 'Dreamworks' by John Spooner

A black and white promotional poster for the '21st century death match', showing 'Petty, human POLITICIANS' vs. 'Relentless, exterminating CLIMATE CHANGE'. Four caricatured politicians say 'I got teased at school', 'Daddy was an M.P., so I though I'd be one too', 'I just want power!' and 'Our party is better than your party. Nyer, Nyerdy, Nyer Nyer'. On the other side, extreme weather conditions say 'I will kill you', 'Puny, disrespectful humans' and 'Roar'. The poster asks 'Who will win?' and promises 'Thrills! Spills! Disappointments! Gasping Stupidity! Ridiculous Priorities! and Mass Casualties!' - click to view larger image — '21st century death match' by Andrew Weldon

A colour vertical strip cartoon divided at the top with scientists versus politicians. The scientist says, 'Action must be taken immediately' and the politician says, 'Let's not rush into this'. The scientist says, 'To do nothing will be more expensive' and the politician says, 'We can't afford to do anything'. The scientist says, 'I'm deeply worried about the future,' and the politician says, 'I'm deeply worried about my future'. The bottom panel shows a four-wheel-drive vehicle driving over the top of other cars on a flooded roadway. The 4WD owner says, 'Of course it was only after the collapse of the Greenland ice sheet that the four wheel drive really came into its own'. - click to view larger image — '4WDs – the cause, the solution' by Andrew Weldon

A strip cartoon showing a dog family sitting around a table under the heading, 'It was a bit uncomfortable around the dinner table last night'. The mother says, 'I saw what he did there! You voted for them! This is your ETS!', to which the father responds, 'Come on, it doesn't matter, we're in a safe seat'. The mother says, 'All the more reason to make a statement', and the father says, 'But the Greens are so ... I mean aside from Bob Look, Christine's alright but ... ' The child interjects, 'Are you fighting?'. The mother says, 'No dear, we're just discussing Rudd setting the carbon emissions target too low and giving billions of dollars to polluting industries', and the father says, 'Your mother is disgusted because I voted for Kevin, and if I had voted Green, what difference would that make now?' The child asks, 'Are we all going to die?'. The mother says, 'Eventually dear, but your father's friends in Canberra will ensure we watch the planet destroyed before we go', and the father says, 'Not until after dinner'. The child says, 'You idiot!', and his mother says, 'Don't call your father an idiot darling, it's not nice. He means well, and he can't help it if his political masters are duplicitous, populist, Howardian robots', as the father lets out a 'Sigh'. - click to view larger image — 'Dinner table' by First Dog on the Moon

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