Charles, John Lincoln, Gulmarrad, NSW
We old aged pensioners need to speak up on behalf of our sons, daughters and grandchildren as we are one of the major voting groups that support the coalition government and since we put them into power the unemployed youth of our country has blown out to 36 per cent.
The youth of our country have not got a voice and when they do complain they are called ‘dole bludgers’, too lazy to get off their backsides. We are pretty good at criticising our youth but we do very little to help them get the experience and know-how to get jobs that are suitable in this day and age with a liveable wage. What we need to do is to get off our backsides and approach the people that we put into power and work out something to get our kids jobs.
Help is what is needed for our youth especially in the areas or further education through reopening out TAFE colleges to give them the skills without forcing them to pay large fees similar to HEX fees. Nobody deserves to do a trade course and then at the end of it find that they owe thousands of dollars with compounding interest.
For starters get rid of the 457 visa workers from overseas who are taking our young people’s jobs. Stop employers corrupting the system for favours being granted to these 457 visa workers by continuing the ICAC inquiry into how and why these workers are replacing our homegrown workers. Whilst they are at it they could look into the working habits of our backpackers who work for undercut wages just to stay in the country.
A typical example is the Fly In Fly Out worker from overseas on a 457 visa, earning $3,000 per week sending money back to their home country, money which is not spent in Australia. There are plenty of Australians who are trying to get a job, with the expertise needed to do the job, who are being turned away to accommodate these 457 visa workers.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
