It was  pleasing to read Andrew Horner’s correction of Oscar Humphries’ claim that the family’s choice of Sydney over Melbourne for Barry Humphries State Memorial wasn’t a repudiation of his own hometown. ( ‘Humphries’ request to ‘snub’ Melbourne’, May 13.)

 

As a friend of 61 years, I can attest that it is true that Barry was saddened by the increasingly woke Melbourne Comedy Festival removing his name from the event he co-founded, and disappointed that the Victorian government didn’t intervene.

 

But there is more to the story. In recent years, Barry often told me that he deeply disliked the Daniel Andrew’s government and all that its socialist policies and practices represented.  

 

Hence the family’s decision for Barry’s state funeral not to be held in Melbourne but in Sydney, where he maintained a residence for many decades.

 

Ross Fitzgerald , Redfern

 

The Sydney Morning Herald,  May 15, 2023, p 23