MEAA members condemn the vicious and specious attacks on cartoonist member Cathy Wilcox, and call on Nine Entertainment to stand by its Charter of Editorial Independence and support staff who face online harassment.
Wilcox's cartoon "Grass roots" is a comment on the political motivations and power dynamics behind the push for a Royal Commission into the ISIS-inspired terrorist attack at a Jewish Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach on December 14, 2025.
That commentary and analysis is the job of journalists and cartoonists. People have the right to disagree with or dislike the commentary published by journalists. Indeed, a healthy democracy relies on the expression of opinions that lead to debate.
Audiences taking offence to works of opinion or analysis cannot be a reason to silence legitimate political comment.
Cathy Wilcox is an award-winning cartoonist, and among the best Australia has ever produced. Her illustrated commentary is known for being pithy, insightful and sensitive.
Her employers at Nine Entertainment failed in their duty of care by apologising for her work, calling it "divisive" and distancing themselves from the cartoon. Nonetheless, the cartoon remains on the Sydney Morning Herald's "Best of cartoons" page.
Nine's mastheads declare they are "independent always". MEAA demands Nine management demonstrates its commitment to backing staff when they are attacked for doing their job and demands that Nine management resist the pressure of coordinated lobbying campaigns.
The relentless, unfounded and coordinated attacks on Wilcox follow similar campaigns to silence journalists, artists and entertainers who have been critical of the Israeli Government and its supporters since 2023 at the ABC, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Theatre Company, and elsewhere.
This trend is beyond concerning. It is a threat to democracy.
As the government now looks to further limit free speech through new hate speech laws, and
seeks to regulate publicly funded broadcasters and arts institutions by implementing the Special Envoy's Plan to Combat Antisemitism, MEAA members demand the principles of press freedom, and freedom of speech and artistic expression, that our democracy relies on be respected and heeded.
