Last Post: PM takes a no-risk approach to Trump inauguration

Of course Anthony Albanese couldn’t attend Donald Trump’s inauguration. What, and miss the tennis?

Trevor Farrant, Hackney, SA

Australia will be represented at the US presidential inauguration by Kevin “here to help” Rudd and a foreign minister who has alienated many supporters of Israel, our long-term ally. Our PM touts his affinity with Trump over Peter Dutton’s but won’t put it to the test. Wise move. Why risk embarrassment?

Ruth Bonetti, The Gap, Qld

Albanese passing the buck to colleagues – Mark Dreyfus, who will go to Israel, and Penny Wong, who will attend Donald Trump’s inauguration – while he stays home indicates a lack of political nous.

Alan Chipp, Hawthorn East, Vic

Rudd in Washington, Stephen Smith in London. Our PM has taken two bullets to the foot.

Brian McGregor, Mt Claremont, WA

If Albanese is fair dinkum about mending relations with Israel, he would go himself, and negotiate PM to PM and not PM to underling.

Ed Turner, Sinnamon Park, Qld

Many are jumping the gun with dire predictions about Trump’s presidency when he still has five days to go before he’s even inaugurated.

Rosemary O’Brien, Ashfield, NSW

So now the councils that oppose celebrating Australia Day on January 26 are blaming it for the weather being too hot for citizenship ceremonies (“Councils feel heat on January 26”, 14/1). Climate change, you have a lot to answer for.

Sheila Duke, Bulimba, Qld

I was saddened to read Jane Flanagan’s article about Nelson Mandela’s house and his dream, in decay (14/1). We lived close to Houghton, Johannesburg, and remember the house and Madiba well. Cry, the beloved country.

Rhoda Silber, Manly, NSW

If the government is going to “invest” money in an off-budget enterprise because it will deliver a return, then at least us mug taxpayers should expect to see a public business case so we can assess its merits and demerits (“Labor ‘on the wrong track with NBN plan’ ”, 14/1).

Stuart Hall, Glen Iris, Vic

The use of the term progressives to refer to people whose aim largely seems to be to tear down our country and Western values has always seemed a misnomer. Progress has positive connotations. Couldn’t we refer to them as the destructives?

Edwina Menzies, Hackett, ACT