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Behind the Lines

Dog-eat-dog

Leading in a crisis can be like walking a tightrope. Put a foot wrong, and you risk losing the nation's trust or worse. When people's lives are turned upside-down, a spark can set off widespread unrest.

The pandemic has shown us an international kaleidoscope of leadership styles. Some have fostered strong community bonds and a 'team spirit', while others have used it to promote discord and capitalise on the disruption for their own ends. Parliaments around the world have been forced to do things differently, often stress-testing the resilience of institutions and agreements.

World leaders stand around a crowded pool table. Donald Trump hits a cue ball which is Earth. The other ball on the table is COVID.

Snookered

David Rowe, The Australian Financial Review,

Boris Johnson in a blue hospital gown sits on a hospital bed in a room overlooking the River Thames and Palace of Westminster. He is trying to get up out of bed.

The Easter Resurrection

Mark Knight, Herald Sun,

Series of panels where Tony Abbott is in a shipping box at the 'Brexit Trade Department Offices' in the UK. He responds to word prompts from three different people.

Tony Tony Tony

First Dog on the Moon, The Guardian Australia,

A shirtless Vladimir Putin rides a green ball of coronavirus, trying to control it by holding onto two of its prongs.

Ride ’Em, Vladimir

Eric Löbbecke, The Australian,

Donald Trump walks across a zebra crossing. Further up the street a man holding two bags stands in front of a line of tanks. The man looks at Trump and says, 'Er... not helping'.

Not Helping

David Pope, The Canberra Times,

Marise Payne and the Chinese Ambassador to Australia face each other across two wine glasses. They are holding a horizontal wine bottle between them using their foreheads.

One for the Belt and Road

Eric Löbbecke, The Australian,

A miserable-looking Scott Morrison wearing a vintage red and white referee's outfit holds lengths of string attached to each state. Text at the top: 'Federation 2020'.

Federation

Alan Moir, Self-published,

Scott Morrison on a boat looks out on the sea. There are fires behind him. Pink splotches of COVID are painted on the boat.

Watchful

Jim Pavlidis, The Sydney Morning Herald,

Border Force officers and tanks are at the WA/SA border. A man and his family in a car show their passports. One officer says, 'Hmm... South Australia "passports' sir?'

Iron Mark

Dean Alston, The West Australian,

The NSW and Victorian premiers stand in the bow of the ‘Inquiry Princess'. Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton race away on a small 'Border Force' boat, saying 'Hasta la vista, chumps!'

Hasta la Vista

Cathy Wilcox, The Sydney Morning Herald,

Annastacia Palaszczuk and another person look out of a wooden QLD box with traffic cones for binoculars. She says, 'I've seen enough, close it up again'.

Open and Shut Case

Brett Lethbridge, The Courier-Mail,

Two people sit at a table with mugs in front of them. One, reading a newspaper, says 'This is such a bad policy. The opposition needs to stand up and refute it'. The other responds, 'The what?'

The What?

Cathy Wilcox, The Sydney Morning Herald,

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