Sydney Morning Herald, c1945

Frith chose to depict Calwell, then Minister for Information, as a parrot or cockatoo because of his gravelly voice and repetitive nature. Frith drew the caricature while working for the Sydney Morning Herald; the proprietors and editors were so pleased, Frith was given a raise.

Calwell was not pleased at all, and he was reported to be very unhappy at the depiction. Frith often showed Calwell as a cockatoo, Cocky Calwell, which infuriated his subject.