190 Years of The West: Dean Alston’s cartoon the day after Police raided journalist Annika Smethurst’s home

It was one of the darkest days in Australian journalism. In 2019, Australian Federal Police raided the home of journalist Annika Smethurst over her story revealing leaked secret plans to widen the domestic spying powers of the Australian Signals Directorate. It is just one of the major national talking points Alston has covered over his career, which is being recognised in a two-part magazine series concluding in Saturday’s West as part of the newspaper’s 190-year celebrations. Alston’s cartoon — which ran on June 8, the day after the raid — shows a reporter speaking on freedom of the press from the back of a police vehicle. A simple take on a concerning story. This Saturday’s magazine is the second of two 48-page magazines presented by Roy Hill as part of our celebrations to mark 190 years of The West Australian and to recognise almost 40 years of amazing cartoons by Alston.