Les Tanner 15 June 1927 – 23 July 2001

Today marks 86 years since the birth of Les Tanner, Australian cartoonist and journalist. After his death, the Black and White Society of Australia described him as follows: "Les Tanner was pre-eminent as a social commentator in the medium of black and white art in 20th Century Australia."

I first heard of Tanner on tram ride when an elderly passenger spotted me reading a cartoon book and related the tale of Tanner's clash with media magnate Sir Frank Packer. In the employ of The Bulletin Tanner drew a cartoon featuring Sir Henry Bolte, then premier of Victoria, to illustrate Editor Peter Coleman's article on capital punishment. Packer ordered the entire print edition pulped but did not account for subscription editions and airmail delivery copies which nevertheless reached their many readers. Packer also banned the screening of a BBC program on capital punishment scheduled to air on one of his television stations. ABC television seized upon these events and ran a program about the cartoon and editorial Packer's efforts to censor the press further cementing Tanner's reputation for social commentary.