Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs Normal text sizeLarger text sizeVery large text sizeThe ceasefire has come too late for many (“Israel’s Security Cabinet recommends approval of ceasefire”, January 18). Gaza is destroyed. Ninety-two per cent of its housing is gone. Its water treatment and sanitation, electricity generation, food processing, farming and fishing are all now incapable of sustaining much life. Its hospitals, health centres, universities, colleges and schools are all destroyed, as are its municipal buildings, its waste disposal, road surfaces, drainage channels, theatres, cultural centres, cinemas, cafés. All that’s left are 1.8 million cold and starving people, malnourished, soaked, ill-clothed, living in tents. Tens of thousands more will die in these conditions, regardless of how fast aid comes. Norman Broomhall, Port MacquarieWhy is it we always have to take sides? As truly horrified as I was by the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, I was equally shocked by Israel’s response. The animosity between these two peoples will never be resolved until they are “united in their acknowledgment and understanding” of each other’s justifiable grievances against one another. Nicholas Beauman, Neutral BayGaza has been destroyed in the Israeli offensive.Credit: APMartin Cousins of Lindfield asks that we remember the suffering of Palestinian hostages as well as Israelis (Letters January 18). I think we all do, but in Australia, the difference is that supporters of Israel do not burn down mosques and firebomb cars and paint hate messages on Palestinian property. Let’s just call a spade a spade, please. Jeremy Brender, West RichmondSo, Alex Ryvchin, the co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, says there is “an evil at work in this country” after his former home in Dover Heights was vandalised in an antisemitic attack (“An evil at work in this country”: Jewish leader’s fury after ex-home targeted”, January 17). Personally, I’d like to suggest that the 60,000 Palestinians killed by Israel (Lancet) and the fact that 80 per cent of Gaza’s population has been displaced (International Displacement Monitoring Centre) has something to do with this incident, and others like it.Paul Hewson, Clontarf (Qld)Saturday’s Herald quotes Alex Ryvchin as saying that “there is an evil at work in this country”. Very true, but there is also evil at work in Gaza. It is hoped the new peace treaty will be observed and that it will lead to a long-overdue Palestinian independence, safe from violent persecution. Barry O’Connell, Old ToongabbieDutton supporters have their sayAfter reading that you would like to hear at least some supporting words for Peter Dutton, I am happy to oblige (Postscript, January 18). His negativity often criticised by Herald readers is working well, according to the polls, so he’s doing an excellent Abbott. His nuclear policy is a brilliant wedge, without the risk of it happening. His attacks on any housing policy that aims for long-term affordability and security ensures a continuing stream of desperate renters to serve contented home-owners and landlords. His robodebt-laden, fossil fuel-loving leadership team means he has to hide them and do everything himself. So Dutton is clearly clever, almost Trump-like. Donald Proctor, CremorneWith all the Dutton bashing going on, here’s my letter in support of the Liberal Party, if not Peter Dutton. I recently met the party’s representative for Bennelong, my electorate since North Sydney was abolished. He is 32, so positive and he is doing the hard yards walking the streets. How refreshing. Jenny Greenwood, Hunters HillI see your excuse for the predominance of letters critical of Peter Dutton is that no one writes to the Herald in support of him. That would be because anyone supportive of Dutton knows their letters will never be printed. I wrote in response to Carlo Ursida’s letter (Letters, January 15) in which he said the Liberals never replied to his letters because they thought they had a divine right to rule. I pointed out that I had the opposite experience, and that my letters to Labor are never answered. My letter wasn’t printed. Yet, you will print letters that hound any correspondent who may speak in favour of Dutton. But don’t touch Saint Albo, the man who is more divisive than Dutton could ever be. I have been reading the Herald for 50 years, but these days I call it the Socialist Morning Herald because it so unashamedly endorses Labor. Susan Durman, Pyrmont Peter Dutton and Liberal candidate for Lyons Susie Bower, in Tasmania.“Perhaps Dutton supporters just don’t write to the Herald – but we certainly would like to hear from you”. The penny has finally dropped. While not a supporter of “he who cannot be named” myself, I hold the Herald, The Age and the ABC responsible for the failure of Yes23 and the rejection of the Indigenous Voice to parliament. Their attitude of: “We know best, do as you are told, Vote Yes”, and insinuations that “anyone who dares question or disagrees is a racist” (see 2023’s letters) infuriated 60 per cent of the population. This same error is emerging in coverage of the coming election. In Peter Dutton’s Happy New Year email, he says: “Together, let’s restore the balance to our migration system so that it’s at sustainable levels, and allows us to revive the dream of home ownership.” Rather than being a racist sentiment, he is stating the bleedin’ obvious and is increasing his chances of being elected. Ronald Elliott, Sandringham (Vic) If you are wondering where all the Peter Dutton supporters are, you need only glance at the letters page of that other significant newspaper, where it is almost impossible to find any support for our PM. The views expressed in each publication could not be much further apart. Richard Tainsh, Potts PointAfter reports of the killing of Australian Oscar Jenkins by Russian troops, Peter Dutton declared: “We should send a clear message to Russia that Australians are sacrosanct, they deserve to be protected by their government.” Hang on, is this the same Peter Dutton who backed the persecution of Australians by the US? Just ask Julian Assange. Alex Mattea, SydneyFlanagan hits the spotBravo Richard Flanagan for calling out the death spiral of inaction by the Albanese government on serious environmental issues (Albanese’s inaction drives his party towards extinction, January 18). His government’s genuflection to vested interests will see its extinction at the next election. Ron Russell, LeuraWell done, Richard Flanagan. You have just said what I am sure many of have been thinking. From the day you published a photo of the prime minister congratulating the South American owners of a salmon farm in Tasmania I have been seething and imagining what crazy plot I could come up with to sabotage the salmon farms, but at 83 I decided that was a step too far. I hope I am not the only one boycotting salmon products in Australia. Gillian Graham, BowralNot everyone understands the pain of caring passionately for the environment while one government after another fails to enforce the protection it needs. Richard Flanagan has eloquently shared his deep grief, anger and frustration, together with his extensive knowledge of Tasmania and politics. Thank you to the Herald for publishing this brilliant article. Your readers should feel honoured that Mr Flanagan, with such honesty and integrity, continues to fight for our precious natural assets. Margaret McDonald, DubboI agree with everything Richard Flanagan writes in his thoughtful opinion piece. However, the Greens are almost certainly incapable of running the country. So, do we vote for the “former Queensland walloper” and his previously proven lacklustre team? A rock and a hard place indeed. Tom Grant, CronullaA salmon farm in Tasmania.Credit: Getty Images/iStockphotoRichard Flanagan packs quite a lot into his rather vivid account of the decline of the current prime minister and the Labor government. Although I’m a rusted-on Labor supporter, I never thought Anthony Albanese would become prime minister but I was relieved when he proved me wrong. Nevertheless, he has more than lived up to my “expectations” since. So for the first time, I will not be voting Labor at an election, for all the reasons articulated by Flanagan, and more. But I’m not yet convinced we are witnessing an extinction event. David Walker, LindfieldFlanagan will doubtless attract readers enamoured of phrases like “venomous axolotl” and “shit-flecked foam”, but his assertion that Albanese is leading the ALP to extinction and that democracy is at stake take the cake, the bun, and the baker’s shop. Flanagan seems to have little idea that governments are compelled to operate in a complex corporate environment demanding compromises, some of which might not be liked. People respect Labor not for “grovelling to greed” but for the very opposite: trying to improve the lot of society’s neediest. Ron Sinclair, WindradyneFlanagan brutally exposes the insipid actions of this Labor government. The timid response to the anti-gambling ads was particularly disappointing given that it was very popular and would have been an appropriate legacy for Peta Murphy. However, given these failures, the situation under a Dutton government would have been worse. Whereas Albanese has been bending the knee to corporate Australia, Dutton would be licking its shoes. Ross Hudson, Mount Martha (Vic)Selfless surfersI take serious umbrage at Malcolm Knox’s opinion piece on sharks, in which he calls surfers “selfish” and “self centred” (“Shark hysteria only diverts attention from the real danger at our beaches”, January 17). I live in a small coastal town that has a close-knit surfing community and a great boardriders club, as do many such towns. There are many unpatrolled beaches here. Who do you think pulls the young kids out of the rips? The tourist that’s been swept out to sea? The family from out west? Why, the local surfers, of course. If someone yells “shark” we do get out of the water, but yes, we go back in when the immediate danger has passed. No surprise there – we’re surfers. Megan Hoar, DalmenyWhat size rise?I would find the rail workers’ dispute more understandable if the public knew what pay rises the rail unions had negotiated over the past four years. If they have been held below CPI for four or more years, it is more understandable why the unions are seeking 8 per cent a year for four years. However, if the union members have received pay rises of CPI or above, then most reasonable people would consider it to be greedy. More information, please. Geoff Lindsay, ThurgoonaTypecast by TrumpWhatever we may think of the choice politically, three old, conservative white men remain remarkably representative of Hollywood (“Trump casts Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone, and Jon Voight as his ‘Hollywood envoys’ ” , January 17). Peter Fyfe, EnmoreTrump has appointed Mel Gibson, Jon Voight and Sylvester Stallone, aged 68, 86 and 78. How about someone who is actually going to represent a younger generation with fresh ideas? Sally Bennett, Summerland PointDriven by demandAs a retired petroleum geologist, let me assure Amy Hiller (Postscript, January 18), who wrote that fossil fuel companies are polluting killers, that the only reason those companies produce fossil fuels is because people want to buy them, invariably to burn. Peter Lane, Margaret River (WA)Slam shamThe Australian Open affects to describe itself as The Happy Slam (“Grand slam! Woodbridge and Hewitt’s giant salaries”, January 17), but after reading about Danielle Collins (“American addresses crowd antics”, January 17), Jack Draper (“‘Quite a lot of abuse’: Wild crowds cause drama at AO”, January 17) and the umpires’ futile attempts quell raucous crowds, it may be more accurately described as the Slam Drunk. Simon Hoyle, CremorneRussian tennis players are known for their noisy grunting while hitting shots. Now that Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev have been eliminated from the Australian Open, you might say that they have become disgruntled. Bruce Johnson, LakewoodThe Australian Open calls itself as The Happy Slam. One reader has another name for it.Credit: APYouth on a rollI’m an old guy visiting Huskisson for the weekend. First stop was the Huskisson bakery. A couple of teenage lads in front of me were chatting and asked me what I was buying. “See that last honey roll, I’m getting that,” I said. “No you’re not,” said one of the lads, “that’s what I’m here for. If you want it, you can pay me double.” I replied I’d give him an extra 50 cents. It was pretty clear he was joking, but to my dismay when he came to be served he asked for the honey roll, paid for it and took it – only to then hand it to me with a grin. He wouldn’t take my money, just shook my hand and wandered off. So my message is: “Don’t worry about the younger generation, some of them have a sense of humour and a good heart.” Tony Moore, Queens ParkSummer’s somewhereIt is reported that summer has been missing from the Sydney region for a number of days. Summer is described as about three months long, with a bright and sunny disposition, displaying much warmth, though subject to occasional stormy outbursts. Parents of school age children are especially concerned about summer’s disappearance. Anyone able to assist with information about summer’s current whereabouts is urged to contact Climestoppers. Doug Walker, Baulkham HillsTo submit a letter to the Sydney Morning Herald, email [email protected]. Click here for tips on how to submit letters.The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform. Sign up here.
