James Massola is spot-on about the reformed Coalition (“Voters will see through rabble reunion”, February 9). The leaders’ press conference was a particularly feeble and disingenuous attempt to persuade everyone that all is now sweetness and light. In truth, it was nothing but a hastily assembled showcase of platitudes, gaslighting and ill-concealed tensions that no one’s buying. The Liberals and Nationals act like bit-part hopefuls at a soap opera audition. Together, they struggle to even stage a credible pantomime. It’s a pity that in neither case is there a coherent script with a decent storyline. Adrian Connelly, Springwood
Amazing how we now have a Coalition reunited to “help those struggling Australian families who are doing it tough” when their values have always counted more for the upper half of the economic spectrum. Thankfully, Labor has, besides other things, managed to lift wages from the floor to which they were so long nailed during the last Coalition tenure. People do have memories. Wolf Kempa, Lithgow
I don’t understand why the Liberals didn’t stay split and go it alone and field Liberal candidates in Nationals seats next election. They’d have a chance in a few of them, I reckon, since the Nats now represent miners and corporate agribusiness rather than farmers and rural townsfolk. Liberal leader Sussan Ley herself won her seat off the Nats when Tim Fischer retired, so there’s a template. They might also get some metropolitan seats back if they come up with reasonable policies and good candidates, if that’s not too much to ask. Daniel Flesch, Bellingen
The rise of the One Nation vote as the Coalition falters may be even better for Labor than John Anderson suggests (“One Nation’s rise a gift for Labor, warns Anderson”, February 9). I believe there would be a significant number of Coalition voters, especially Liberals, who would not go as far as preferencing One Nation. Al Svirskis, Mount Druitt
Misleading minority
The full-page advertisement claiming “Jews say No” to President Herzog’s visit gives a misleading impression of sentiment within Sydney’s Jewish community, as does David Leser’s article (“I’m Jewish. I live in Bondi. But I take no comfort from Herzog’s visit”, February 9). The Jewish Council of Australia, with roughly 1300 members in a national Jewish population of at least 100,000, cannot reasonably claim to speak for the community. The body that maintains representative engagement with governments is the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the peak communal organisation encompassing more than 200 affiliated groups across education, welfare, religious, cultural and state representative sectors. Readers should bear this in mind when assessing claims to represent Jewish opinion in Australia. John Kempler, Rose Bay
Judging from the 600 signatures published in Monday’s Herald by the Jewish Council of Australia, it would seem that many Jewish Australians feel the same way as David Leser who, in his article, asks “how could one bear to watch a country that claims to represent the Jewish people destroy so utterly the very fabric of a society?” Elections are due to be held in Israel in October this year, but pundits have been suggesting that PM Benjamin Netanyahu will maximise his chances by calling it early. Hopefully, there will be enough voters who agree with Leser and apply Albert Einstein’s dictum that “relativity applies to physics, not ethics”. Peter Nash, Fairlight
Monday’s letter from Australian Jews opposing President Isaac Herzog’s visit points to a widening gap between government decision-making and community reality. What’s baffling people isn’t the geopolitics, it’s the judgment. We are already dealing with enough to justify a royal commission into how fractured and brittle our society has become. Communities are raw. Trust is thin. People are tired and on edge. Then the government decides this is the moment to invite someone whose presence guarantees outrage, division and disbelief. For myself and many Australians, this isn’t controversial in a technical sense; it just feels seriously weird. Like watching leaders ignore every social signal flashing red. What makes it worse is that this time the fracture line runs straight through Jewish communities themselves. Good leadership sometimes means choosing restraint. Sometimes it means reading the moment and deciding that symbolism can wait. When leaders miss that, confusion spreads, people dig in and everyone else pays the price. Lynne Strong, Jamberoo
I am outraged by the advertisement that claims to speak for Australian Jews in opposing President Herzog’s visit. These individuals do not represent the majority of the Australian Jewish community, rather a fringe minority seeking to delegitimise the Jewish state while our community grieves for the 15 people murdered in a terrorist attack. President Isaac Herzog asks the question these protesters cannot answer: “Where are you all when tens of thousands of Iranian innocent civilians are butchered by their own regime? Where’s the outcry?” Their silence is deafening. Their selective outrage against the world’s only Jewish state is transparent antisemitism. This advertisement betrays our community, emboldens our enemies and gives comfort to those who seek to divide Australia. Charlie Nightingale, Vaucluse
The opinion piece by David Leser is missing an important piece of information. This is common among critics of the state of Israel. Namely, how do they think the Gazan and West Bank problem should have been solved? What constructive solution do they offer? I’m not sure that engaging in “robust debate” with Hamas and the Gazans who support them, as suggested in his piece, is going to work. Every last Jew left Gaza in 2005, and look what happened. Ben Basger, Bondi Junction
No double standard
Corrrespondent Alan Shroot wonders why Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit is considered divisive and suggests other visiting foreign dignitaries would not get similar treatment (Letters, February 9). Maybe if they presided over a government that had killed tens of thousands of mainly innocent people over the past three years, and maimed, displaced, deprived and disenfranchised hundreds of thousands more, they too would not get the warm welcome Shroot thinks they would. Kevin Hunt, Kenthurst
Alan Shroot observes that no one would bat an eyelid if the leader of the Greek state visited our country, yet Isaac Herzog’s visit is criticised. Could that be because Greece is not fighting a bitter and prolonged war? I’d suggest that Vladimir Putin would also receive a hostile reception from sections of our community if he visited. There is no double standard here. Stephen Foster, Glebe
Good news
Kudos to The Sydney Morning Herald for its gesture to students (“Unlimited Herald access at UNSW”, February 9). Hopefully, it will encourage our future leaders to rely more on bona fide journalists than on TikTok influencers for news, which has become a growing trend. Fifteen years ago, I asked my law students if they read newspapers. About 40 to 50 per cent said they got their news from online news sites, some even via actual newspapers. Three or four years ago, I found that social media platforms such as Instagram, Youtube and TikTok had become their sole source of information. It seems objective news reporting has been replaced by subjective opinion. These days experienced journalists compete with 20-year-old influencers in the news marketplace and risk falling into the abyss of becoming “content creators” chasing followers, rather than impartial news reporters. Marshall McLuhan, known as the father of media studies, coined the phrase “The medium is the message.” This is even more relevant today than it was when he wrote it in the 1960s. May the Herald be successful in dragging students back to traditional sources of news. Irene Nemes, Rose Bay
A very interesting development that students and staff at UNSW will have free access to the Herald. Vice chancellor Attila Brungs said it was an opportunity “for our community to easily engage with credible news, diversify their news perspectives and encourage engagement on the issues that matter”. That says something about the assault on truth unleashed on the internet and social media. Of course, the Herald is not the only source of credible news. The Conversation, backed by universities and journalists, has a free daily newsletter. The Daily Aus, started by young people for young people, also survives. On the other hand, some young people I know have used the power of the internet, software and AI to share direct access to primary source information about the Epstein files, proving that the internet is not all evil. The thoughtful journalism found in the Herald will add something valuable to university education. Gary Barnes, Mosman
Investment in students
To learn that $300 million over four years could support allied health students is welcome news (“Laura’s studies will help fix the health skills shortage. But she can’t afford the unpaid work her degree requires”, February 9). The strain of unpaid placements on these students can be debilitating. Even modest financial support would go a long way in helping psychology students afford such necessities as travel to and from their placements. This would give them the flexibility to work over a range of clinical and community settings. Diversity of placement experience is not a luxury – it is what builds a strong, capable and adaptable mental health workforce. When students are forced to limit their placements based on cost rather than on learning value, the whole profession loses. Fully supporting students through mandatory placements is a smart workforce investment that will pay dividends for years to come. Dr Kylie Henderson, Brisbane (Qld)
Slow but steady
It’s hard to find a supporter of the CGT concessions (Letters, February 7). Even those who avail themselves of it seem to know that it is unfair and heavily biased. But the suggested change from 50 per cent to 33 per cent is paltry. It should be a staged reduction of say 10 per cent over five years until the beast is forever gone. To paraphrase Crocodile Dundee, “that’s not a cut – this is a cut.” Then we can move on to negative gearing. Peter Vernon, Sawtell
Power imbalance
Having worked in community healthcare for many years, I was horrified to read of the proposed changes to power bills by the Australian Energy Market Commission (“The power bill charge that will sting low-earners $200 more”, February 8). To financially punish low-income households and others who at a great cost have invested in solar and batteries is shameful. Finding elderly clients huddled in their homes in the middle of winter with layers of clothing, blankets and beanies because heating is too expensive is a confronting sight. Absurdly, better-off families who use more energy will benefit most from the proposed rule change. Sarah Rolls, Orange
Food for thought
We had a lovely visit to the new Sydney Fish Market last week (“A must-see icon or awkward honeymoon? The trouble with the new Sydney Fish Market”, February 9). We arrived by public transport and, after doing the circuit, nabbed a table to eat our seafood lunch – without a chip being stolen. However, a lengthy wait in line for one of the few ladies’ loos was annoyingly familiar. It would really help to have handwashing stations available outside, so people can wash their prawny fingers. Lisa Clarke, Watsons Bay
Food forethought
I thoroughly enjoyed Dani Valent’s article, not as a gardener but as a gardener’s wife (“The 10-minute backyard habit I used as a stress-buster”, February 7). And it’s all true. My husband is the calmest of men, however, the big winner of his gardening exploits is our neighbourhood. His small and beautiful front garden is a showstopper. Colour abounds. There is not a day that wonderful comments are not heard. He talks to everyone when working on it. It sparks joy. And any extra produce from the herbs, citrus and veggies is placed out the front and finds another home. He is a testament to the benefits of gardening – and social interaction. I just bask in his glow, although I couldn’t name a plant if I fell over it. Wendy Atkins, Cooks Hill
Club and cudgels
As a lifelong Marxist, it’s a good time for me to quote our moustachioed leader Groucho, who said “I would never join a club that would have me as a member.” May Ricky never darken a towel at that establishment (“Royal rumble: How Ponting missed the cut for membership of ‘elite’ golf club”, February 9). Andrew Raymond, Parramatta
Would it really be terrible to laugh at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club members who kept Ricky Ponting from becoming a member of their illustrious institution? No? So, let’s just have a good laugh. It’s the only appropriate response. Greg Baker, Fitzroy Falls
Bring out your Binns
If I really thought there had been a cause and effect following on from Keith Binns’ letter complaining about e-bikes, then I would say hand over all the space on the letters pages to Mr Binns for one day and allow him to write about every issue that needs fixing (Letters, February 9). Alicia Dawson, Balmain
To Keith Binns of Goulburn, I am convinced about your ability to affect real change for the betterment of all through your letter writing. Could you please write one every Wednesday so that I will remember to put my bins out when I read it every Thursday? Donald Proctor, Cremorne
Unfailing admiration
Thank you, Andrew Mitterdorfer, for teaching me a new word – paramecium (Letters, February 9). It has helped with my kakorrhaphiophobia. Greg Phillipson, Aranda (ACT)
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