We’ve had a huge response this week to the news that John is stepping back from daily involvement in running Pearls and Irritations in order to write and enjoy life more.

Many of you have been directly in touch, many hundreds of others have posted messages of congratulations via social media.

John remains on the P&I board and is, of course, P&I Founder.

The news that David Armstrong will become P&I’s new Editor-in-Chief and Board Chair has also attracted significant support. I cannot think of anyone more suited to taking up the role and look forward to continuing to work with one of Australia’s most respected journalists.

I have been humbled by your many kind messages as I move into the role of Chief Executive as well as Editor of P&I. I am ever more determined to build on the solid foundations laid by John and Susie, and ensure that P&I remains a strong venue for robust, evidence-based debate. The strength and passion of the P&I community is a precious thing to be nurtured. Each day there is a greater need for independent, reliable sources of information and analysis, and we will provide it.

If anyone doubted John’s sincerity about writing more, you will note his wrap up of Isaac Herzog’s visit today. It comes at the end of what has been a very tough week. Many of you took to the streets to object to the visit, and some were met with shocking state-sanctioned violence.

I wrote from the Melbourne march and was impressed by the way authorities dealt with a very large and passionate crowd. The contrast with Sydney was tragic because what happened there was completely avoidable.

In a piece tomorrow, Dr Shaymaa Elkadi outlines the impact of the visit and violence on Muslim Australians. On Monday, Stella Yee will talk of those who have moved here to escape “… precarious democracies or authoritarian regimes”; and how distressing it is to see “how quickly free speech can be curtailed, how swiftly the right to peaceful assembly can become conditional, and how easily police powers can be expanded.”

Until next time.