Letters to the editor: 22 October 2020

It's a constant struggle for young people to keep applying for positions when their applications fall on deaf ears and they're not even acknowledged for trying. Maybe if you looked at the 15 you may find an unexpected/truly committed gem among them and you could open sooner. Good luck.

Over the past few months there has been great concern from business owners not being able to fill positions at their venues. Having been in the mining game all of my life we had trouble finding experienced people. I suggested we train people that had not been in mining before. That way we could ensure they were trained how the company wanted. We took on two to three people each crew and found that because these people were keen, they learnt the right way, and became great employees. Funnily enough some were older, but still worked hard and learnt fast. Maybe some of the venues could take on older, keen people, and not need two years experience in dishwashing as some advertised. There are a lot of people wanting work in Mandurah, maybe try training them, that's the only way to get experience in any job.

In regards to taking responsibility, politicians have not learnt anything in the last 100 years. In October 1918, the last troop carrier left Fremantle for the war in Europe. The ship arrived in Durban, South Africa. They took on supplies and turned around to return to Fremantle. Unknown to those on the Boonah, the men on board had been exposed to the Spanish influenza. Upon their arrival back in WA, the ship was quarantined in Gage Roads before infected troops were transferred to Woodman's Point. The handballing started between the state and federal governments as to who was responsible for the care of these troops and what to do with them. Sound familiar? October 2020, ships with COVID-19 infected crew and Kiwi's slipping out. Who's responsible? States say federal, federal says states. Obviously Australian politicians have learnt nothing except to refine the 'blame and handball games'.

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