EXCLUSIVE
The sister of famous cartoonist Michael Leunig has celebrated the death of her brother on Instagram where she has described him as a sexual abuser and shameless attention seeker.
In a post which has dawn praise from her followers Mary Leunig wrote just a week after her controversial 79-year-old brother’s death: ‘I’ve been wishing him dead for some time now.’
Mary apologised for rejoicing over his death in the post, titled ‘Boxing Day, Michael dead’, but explained it was ‘only because of his contact with my kids. Michael’s fame … Michael was always on view, always acting, bathing in his celebrity.
‘So, sexual abuse & wife bashing aside, what do I feel about his death?
‘It’s a relief, a time to celebrate what’s left of my family… and all the animals and birds and people and nature and all.’
She also reproduced one of her cartoons entitled ‘I finally get the recognition I deserve by shooting my brother in the bum’.
Mary Leunig, above, the sister of famous cartoonist Michael Leunig, has celebrated his death on Instagram
Michael Leunig died aged 79 on December 19. That prompted his sister Mary to describe him publicly as an abuser and shameless attention seeker
It depicts her smiling as she shoots Michael through the seat of his jeans, his guts and entrails exploding in the shape of dollar signs out the front.
Mary Leunig had previously accused her brother of being a sexual abuser in comments to her Facebook account and she has publicly attacked him in media reports.
But her allegations have not been tested by the courts and he is not known to have responded to her claims while he was alive.
Mary’s post attracted many likes and comments from supporters.
One woman wrote, ‘Such bloody strong, open, truthfulness. Take care of yourself in the face of provoking awfulness’, while one woman said, ‘the dark underbelly revealed. Strength and solidarity with you @maryleunig’,
Another wrote: ‘I love that you speak up and out. I know it probably seems like the obvious and natural thing to do, but it does take strength and courage knowing what may come back. Wishing you a very happy 2025’.
Others wished her power and love with one friend writing: ‘I’ve been thinking about you often since his death. I’m so glad for you, and I hope you find things peaceful and gentle and full of possibility in its wake.’
Mary Leunig, whose work runs with a vein of very dark humour, is a highly regarded columnist.
But her brother’s cartoons – including famous ‘Mr Curly’ and his whimsical satire – made him a household name.
During a 55-year career as a newspaper cartoonist, he was declared a national living treasure by the National Trust for his contributions to Australian culture.
Mary Leunig’s revelations about her abusive fame loving brother have attracted praise and support for honesty and strength
Mary Leunig addressed the secret rift caused by her brother’s actions on Instagram just one week after his December 19 death
He was sacked by Nine Newspaper’s The Age in September 2024 after his cartoons critical of ‘no jab, no play’ policies for vaccination and Victoria’s lockdown.
One cartoon that drew controversy in particular portrayed a lone man standing in front of a loaded syringe, referencing the iconic image of a protester in front of a tank at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in 1989.
One 2019 cartoon depicting a young mother as ‘too busy on Instagram’ to look after her child drew public criticism by Mary, who criticised him for being ‘mean’ and deliberately ‘feminist baiting’.
She revealed they had been estranged for years and claimed that he unfairly picks on women and mothers.
‘I know mothers. I talk to women with children and the load they carry …And they are not the people that Michael thinks they are.’
Michael Leunig was known for his whimsical cartoons, but sacked when they became political and anti-vax during the Covid lockdown
The cartoon that got Leunig sacked depicted a lone man standing in front of a loaded syringe, referencing the iconic image of a protester in front of a tank at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in 1989
But Mary Leunig’s Boxing Day note alludes to deep family division.
One person commented: ‘Complex family relationships make for complex loss, (at least in my experiences). all best and kindness.’
Another wrote, ‘I cant imagine what it felt to have the world, especially the art world laud him this past week or so but you made it & on top of the family you do have left, you have us. And…exhale.’
Following Michael Leunig’s death he was described as ‘beloved’, though ‘never worried about being considered unconventional’.
And despite being retired after his work was targeted by ‘woke’ activists according to one fellow cartoonist, his cartoons of ‘wonderful innocence … certainly will live on forever’.
On Instagram, people wished Mary Leunig after her revelations about her brother, ‘freedom’ and ‘I stand with Mary’.
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