Your coverage of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz should be compulsory reading. In 2014, I visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum. It was almost incomprehensible that more than a million people were murdered right where I was standing. I wondered how the world could ever have come to this. The answers have been given, in part, by the warning by the Auschwitz-Birkenau museum director that “extremism can turn ordinary people into monsters” (“A house at Auschwitz opens its doors to a chilling past”, January 27). In a similar vein, Rob Harris relayed the caution from Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, that we must be watchful of “the progression from words and slogans to dehumanisation of communities and then to violent acts” (“Drop the politics: Auschwitz plea”, January 28). Finally, your editorial stressed the need to remember that “the evil represented by Auschwitz exists for us all” (The Herald’s View, January 27), and, I will add, is potentially within us all. Paul Casey, Callala Bay
At the Auschwitz memorial, survivor Leon Weintraub, now 99, said: “Be sensitive to all expressions of intolerance or resentment of those who are different, with regards to their skin colour, religion or sexual orientation … We, the survivors, understand that the consequence of being considered different is active persecution.” Such sentiments, if expressed today in different contexts, would very likely be derided by many as “woke”, and leading the charge would be the president of the United States. The more things change, the more they stay the same, as the saying goes. Michael Hinchey, New Lambton
Nobody should presume to speak about Auschwitz until they read Night by Elie Wiesel, Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor. The book is based on his experience as a Jewish prisoner in the Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps in World War II. He describes in graphic detail the murders of his people, including the killing of his own father. And yet, his message when he accepted the Nobel Prize was: “Both the Jewish people and the Palestinian people have lost too many sons and daughters and have shed too much blood.” Mark Porter, New Lambton
Here we go again. On the day of the Auschwitz memorial, Peter Dutton says it’s crucial to “extend the knowledge of history to younger generations so that the mistakes of the past can’t be repeated”. What a shame he can’t extend the same principle to the First Nation people of his own homeland. Oh well, it’s just all “good” politics, straight from the Trump playbook, and it goes like this. First, create a problem. Second, blame the other side for the mess that you make of the country. Job done. Charmain Brinks, Newcastle
Why did we send politicians to Poland when we should have sent Governor-General Sam Mostyn? She is, after all, Australia’s executive head of state and, as such, should be representing Australia at such an important gathering. Politicians only represent their parties, whereas the governor-general represents all Australians. If the government did not wish this governor-general to represent Australia at such a significant occasion, then why did they nominate her for the office? Philip Benwell, Australian Monarchist League
Donald Trump was a notable absentee from the Auschwitz ceremony. He was too busy removing those he has deemed as undesirable from the United States. While not yet at the shocking scale of those past events, the sentiment is alarmingly familiar. Philip Cooney, Wentworth Falls
Building together
Moves by the two major political parties in NSW to sit down and try to simplify the current planning legislation and process is encouraging (“Libs offer olive branch to help Labor fix housing”, January 28), provided that local government also gets a “seat at the table” to ensure the best outcomes. A planning system that simply ignores the reality of a city’s regional differences and local geographic diversity runs the real risk of producing inferior outcomes. Certainly, free up local town planners to become creative problem solvers, rather than incumbents saddled with overly complicated legislative framework, and Sydney will continue to be a world-class city with an expanding population. Peter Menton, Bankstown
Voice not silenced
Correspondent Vivienne Parsons called Labor’s support for First Nation peoples’ recognition in the Constitution as “a niche policy of the elite” (Letters, January 28). Rather, it was following up on a promise to honour the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which in turn was the outcome of many First Nation groups and individuals’ desire for recognition and reconciliation. Support for referendum may have been strongest in “elite” electorates, but it also garnered strong support in First Nation polling booths. As for Senator Price, she knows which side her political bread is buttered. Jennifer McKay, Ashbury
Vivienne Parsons is trying to rewrite history by claiming that the Voice never had community support and was a niche policy of the elite that began Anthony Albanese’s “downward slide”. The PM honoured an election promise to bring the Voice referendum to the people and there was strong support. It was Peter Dutton, for his own political advantage, who scuppered the referendum. Albanese has reversed the damage and achieved more to advance Australian in two years than the Coalition did in 10. Under his leadership we have better relationships with our neighbours, trade and the economy have improved, rorts have been stopped and a corruption watchdog has been created, to name a few improvements. Regardless of whether Albanese is “weak or strong”, it’s the achievements that matter. Brian McDonald, Willoughby
George Brandis wrote that Anthony Albanese’s government had been a “sorry tale of emasculation and incoherence” since the Voice defeat and would leave no legacy (“Is Albo destined to be a one-term PM?”, January 27). I beg to differ. If the PM’s only legacy turned out to be him being the only OECD leader to steer his country through the economic turbulence created by the pandemic and the Ukraine war and produce the unique achievements of low unemployment (accompanied by the record creation of 1.2 million jobs), low inflation, two budget surpluses and 12 consecutive quarters of economic growth, I would take that legacy over the regressive GST of John Howard any day of the week. Add the restoration of foreign relations with China and Pacific Islands nations and the legacy grows. If you include the investment in clean energy to steer our nation towards net zero and becoming a clean energy superpower, then Albanese’s record compares favourably with any of the former, allegedly better, prime ministers named by Brandis. Bill Haydon, Avoca Beach
Let’s kick the gambling ad habit
Cigarette advertising was phased out in Australia about 50 years ago. Although gambling does not affect your physical health like smoking, the damage it does emotionally and psychologically to gamblers and their families is well documented (“Gambling ads to be removed from trains and buses”, January 28). While the latest advertising ban by the NSW government is a step in the right direction, more needs to be done. It is high time all governments give up their addiction to gambling ad revenue, put the needs of the Australian people first, and phase out all gambling advertising. Tobacco companies did not go broke and neither will most gambling institutions.
Peter Miniutti, Ashbury
NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen said gambling advertising had been a common sight on public transport, but it was time to remove it. She is almost correct. By removing advertising altogether, signage on public transport would be far more user-friendly – and functional. It is easy to claim that $33 million in advertising revenue keeps our fares down, but that’s what our taxes are for. Visibly impaired passengers struggle to see through the ads stuck on bus and light rail windows when checking to see where they are. Enough is enough. Bob Scott, Eastlakes
Price of efficiency
It would seem that with Jacinta Price being handed the portfolio of government efficiency, Peter Dutton is following Donald Trump’s lead but has taken a rather different approach by appointing someone who is not an entrepreneur, who has no experience in the business environment, and has largely been a career politician (“Dutton’s enthusiasm for DOGE just old tricks with a new name”, January 25). However, Price has had considerable experience in the music industry, including the release of an album, so there is a good chance that her presentations could at least be more entertaining than Elon Musk and his Nazi salutes. Peter Nash, Fairlight
On the subject of efficiency, Shane Wright wrote that there are 542 public servants working on the AUKUS submarine fantasy. I’d very much like to know what they are actually doing. Craig Forbes, Lewisham
True mateship
There are few things more Australian than our national cricket team, and look at what our men’s Test team did to acknowledge the sensitivities of an “other” in their team. Out of respect for Usman Khawaja’s religion, the team decided as a whole to celebrate without alcohol. What a great gesture, you might even call it “mateship”, allowing Khawaja to join in the celebrations. Is it really that hard for Australians to allow Indigenous people to join in the celebrations of our unity as a nation by doing it differently, on another day? January 26 has officially been Australia Day for only 31 years, not a long time at all compared to 60,000 years of habitation of our island. Is a change really that upsetting, or are a few people just looking to create a fight? Robert Allan, Cambalong
One Trump too many
Again, another odious message telling us that Peter Dutton and Donald Trump are one and the same (Wilcox cartoon, January 28). Dutton and his policies should be judged as they stand. If you don’t like them, don’t vote for him, but leave Trump out of it. Ross MacPherson, Seaforth
Quiet, please
Tennis Australia’s Craig Tiley now defensively insists: “I think the Australian fans are amongst the most educated when it comes to tennis, amongst the most respectful”. Could someone please invite him to Planet Earth and the Australian Open next year? The expression “out of touch” would seem to have been coined after him. It is precisely this insistent blind-spot denial of unacceptable AO crowd behaviour – effectively sanctioning and encouraging it – that allows it evermore to occur. Alex Mattea, Sydney
Tame and a place
I’m sure there are many who would agree with the sentiment of Grace Tame’s T-shirt, but as the Prime Minister has pointed out, the awards ceremony was not the appropriate place to express it (“Tame T-shirt ‘a distraction’, says PM”, January 28). That said, he should have made this clear to Tame on the day and not have to be prompted 24 hours later for the response. Another example of the PM’s political tin ear. Mike Kenneally, Manly
Opal ordeal
After having trouble acquiring a new Opal card, I have taken to using two credit cards for public transport, both of which were debited a signing-on fee, presumably going to the credit card providers (“Warnings of Sydney commuters being forced back onto Opal cards”, January 28). To end access to me would be both a government failure and a breach of contract by my providers. My cash is technically legal tender, but the computer says “no”. Andrew Cohen, Glebe
Mixed makes sense
The fundamental principle of school education is to prepare children for adult life by helping them develop a moral foundation, expanding their minds, nurturing their bodies and promoting their emotional development (“Boys’ school boom a thing of principal”, January 28). Publicly funded schools should equip children for life in the broader community. With rare exceptions, selective schools simply cannot be representative of this community. Although generously funded, the single-sex schools I attended did not and could not produce healthy social development.Ian Bowie, Bowral
As private schools move to co-education, the winner will be single-sex public schools. Jenny Greenwood, Hunters Hill
Fibre failure
Based on its physical assets and commercial debt holding, the future of both NBN Co. and its network is dire when it could, and should, be our most important infrastructure asset (“Labor claims NBN will beat Elon Musk on broadband”, January 28). The January 2024 Accenture report to NBN says out of 9.7 million services (of which 1.2 million are non-NBN), only 1.7 million are fibre to the premises (FTTP), 3.9 million are fibre to the node, and 1.1 million are fibre to the curb. FTTP, the reason NBN was created, is just 20 per cent of existing services. At least 2 million dwellings have no service. Fibre from street nodes to premises is the key missing component. NBN could rectify this failure by providing fibre in each residential and business premises and allowing customers to hire approved retailers to “connect” the fibre and provide all internal equipment. Peter Egan, Mosman
Fear the Face-block
Today, I posted a comment on Facebook on how wonderful is the Yothu Yindi song Treaty, and included a YouTube link to the song. I got an immediate response that it violated Facebook’s community standards and would not accept the post. If you do not believe me, try it yourself – if you still use Facebook. I took a screenshot of their rejection and posted that this was shocking. This was also deleted. This is how AI is programmed by the far-right to limit opposition to their propaganda. Be afraid. Be very afraid. Don Easter, Dubbo
Gulf in understanding
Precedent (sic) Trump has unilaterally renamed the Gulf of Mexico. Any suggestions for naming the gulf between his ears? The Great American Bight, maybe? Robert Connor, Bowral
Scraping the bottom
I hope it won’t detract too inappropriately from the importance of Richard Hillman’s call for greater awareness of anal cancer to point out that the media’s political journalists, at least, have always taken the close scrutiny of arseholes very seriously. As has the ABC’s Media Watch (“The bottom line about our bums”, January 28). Jack Robertson, Birchgrove
In a word
Reader Gary Stowe says we need a new word to describe the new political landscape of the US (Letters, January 28). How about “felonocracy”? Mickey Pragnell, Kiama
My prediction for Word of the Year 2025 is “broligarchy”. PS. I’ve cancelled my trip to Mars.
Dick Barker, Epping
What about “cronyocracy”? Levane Abdoolcader, Padstow Heights
“Trumpenschmerz?” Col Burns, Lugarno
My suggestion is blending Trump and empire to give “Trumpire”. Hopefully, this will be the shortest one the world will have to endure. Mark Olesen, Ryde
Trumpism, Gary. Michael Britt, MacMasters Beach
“Kakistocracy” is the word defined as “government by the least suitable or competent citizens of a state”. From the Greek words “kakistos” (worst) and “kratos” (rule). Jeffrey Mellefont, Coogee
- To submit a letter to the Sydney Morning Herald, email letters@smh.com.au. 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.