Cartoon in The Age and SMH breached standards
Ruling found the cartoon encodes 'an antisemitic trope' and includes imagery that 'could reinforce racial, ethnic or religious stereotypes'.
The Australian Press Council has found that The Age and Sydney Morning Herald breached the Council’s Standards of Practice by publishing a cartoon on January 7, 2026 that encoded an antisemitic trope about Jewish people secretly controlling world events.
The cartoon, titled “Grass roots”, depicted a crowd of figures standing on a grass lawn, holding placards, and calling for a “Royal Commission now!”.
Beneath them, holding the lawn up, are various current and former federal politicians, and standing to the right side of them is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, beating a drum accompanied by the words “Boom Boom” — implying they were marching to his beat.
The Council found that the publications breached General Principle 6 of its Standards of Practice by failing to take reasonable steps to avoid causing or contributing materially to substantial offence, distress or prejudice.
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Michele Goldman told The AJN, “We welcome the Australian Press Council’s ruling that the publication failed to take reasonable steps to avoid causing substantial offence, distress or prejudice.
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