Behind the Lines 2025

All the twists and turns of another turbulent year in Australian politics is showcased in Behind the Lines 2025: Are We Rolling? at the Old Treasury Building.

Drawing inspiration from the wonderful world of movie making, this year’s exhibition features 45 of Australia’s finest political cartoonists. Using humour, satire and pathos, they have turned in star performances to interpret this year’s drama and intrigue, here at home and overseas.

Behind the Lines this year celebrates its 30^th year, making it one of the longest-running annual exhibitions in Australia. Staged each year by the Museum of Australian Democracy (MoAD) at Old Parliament House in Canberra, the exhibition has become a cultural touchstone: where politics meets humour, where art meets critique, and where Australians gather to look back on the year that was with both laughter and insight.

Are We Rolling? draws on the language and energy of cinema to explore the memorable political and current-affairs narratives that defined 2025. Like the very best films, the cartoons presented this year offer all the emotional beats: comedy, tragedy, suspense, satire and unexpected twists.

Together, the works create a time capsule of the political year, presenting multiple viewpoints side-by-side and inviting audiences to grapple with diverse, and at times conflicting, interpretations. This multiplicity is one of the defining strengths of Behind the Lines.

This exhibition is supported by the National Collecting Institutions Touring and Outreach Program, an Australian Government program aiming to improve access to the national collections for all Australians.

You can view the online version of this exhibition here.

An audio description of the original exhibition in Canberra is available on their website.