Last Post, January 3, 2019

Priest has trivialised the Holocaust.

By comparing Manus Island to the Holocaust, Rod Bower trivialises the evil perpetrated by the Nazis and gives succour to Holocaust deniers (“Outspoken priest raises ire of Jewish groups”, 2/1).

George Fishman, Vaucluse, NSW

With the head-in-the-sand remarks of Rod Bower about the living conditions illegal immigrants are provided on Manus Island, does he ever wonder why people are turning away from his church?

Peter Curlewis, Yass, NSW

With Australia Day approaching, stand by for the annual rhetoric about how desirous it would be for Australia to become a republic. Lefty spruikers will tell us how outmoded it is to live under our much loved Queen. Then life will resume normality under a monarchy.

D. J. Preece, North Wollongong, NSW

Peter Costello could have been a great prime minister but lacked the one ingredient needed to secure the job — selfishness. Paul Keating might say you’ve got to be ruthless. Take a look after the election, Pete.

John Dobinson, Herston, Qld

For scammers, at least, we are their lucky country (“Aussies top target of investment scams”, 2/1).

Steve Ngeow, Chatswood, NSW

What a wise and balanced article by Kevin Donnelly (“In our secular society, virtues should trump vapid, subjective values”, 1/1). If every schoolchild were given instruction in these basic virtues, we should surely have a better country

Elaine Targett, Kew, Vic

D. Barrington (Letters, 1/1) obviously thinks people taking “clean” drugs will not suffer serious consequences and can’t possibly die.

Ross McDonald, Gordon, NSW

Well said, Jim Wilson (Letters, 2/1). Xi Jinping knows that Donald Trump will not be around after 2024 if he gains another term in office, whereas Xi, president for life, has the patience to see his agenda achieved.

Mike Flanigan, Toowoomba, Qld

So, I’ve noticed a new habit creeping into young people’s speech. So it doesn’t make any sense at all. So it still seems to occur at the beginning of every second sentence, except it turns them into non-sentences. So it’s really grating, though not as much as OMG.

Peter Farrell, Monarto, SA

In the discussion about what occurred on the cricket field in Cape Town, one point has been missed — where did the sandpaper come from? Was it brought from Australia in the team bag as a long-planned tactic, or was a team member told to pop out to the nearest hardware store? It is surely unusual for a team, or an individual, to carry sandpaper.

Michael Arnold, Belrose, NSW