It is not, I repeat, not TAFE or anyone else who is responsible, but employers and their associations.

When will both houses of state parliament, irrespective of any party allegiance, appreciate this point and legislate to require employers to take on apprentices? This is both school-aged and adult apprentices. Over time this solves the problem of having “no ongoing trained workforce”.

No apprentice employment should mean no contracts, and should now include the 6400 apprentices and trainees already announced by the state government for the coming year.

Any employer that will not employ apprentices, both school leavers and adults, as a portion of their workforce should henceforth be excluded from obtaining work in their specialised field.

All parties, including the employers and their association as well as members of both houses of state parliament, should support such action as necessary and immediate and have drawn up and pass legislation without delay.

F. Deane, Evandale.

IN THE all-encompassing information age, the provision of literacy and numeracy must now be regarded as a basic human right.

Any society that neglects its most vulnerable, will be one that declines into an ever widening societal chasm of participatory and non-participatory members, which is truly an avoidable human tragedy.

Kenneth Gregson, Swansea.

DURING the formation of the Greens here in Tasmania, I must admit to some early alliance.

There is some alliance now in hearing leader Richard Di Natale's current words and proposed actions in regards to the banking fraternity's criminal behavior.

But, allied to this their demands for the decriminalisation and open slather on marijuana is outright stupidity.

Personally, I am in full agreement with putting to use the infinite uses of this so versatile plant, as in the past (being practically teetotal) I have used some for its medicinal properties.

However, one can only imagine the devastation on our roads with drunk-driving already out of control and not adequately dealt with by our judiciary.

I live in hope that the Greens will one day not muddy their good intentions and ideas with such stupidity. Only then will they be taken seriously and be seen as a viable alternative to the big two, which is sadly and very badly needed.

Don Davey, Launceston.

THE Anglican clergy sins, and their congregations pay the price.  

The clergy unilaterally decide to pay redress for their sins by selling the buildings which have been funded, over generations, by their congregations.  

Where is there any justice in the clergy sinning and demanding that their congregations pay for these offences?

Actually, there is no justice in the church nor is there redress for all the money in the world cannot buy forgiveness nor repay the debt that sin incurs.  

This after all is what they preach.

The church is already morally bankrupt, because of their sin, and now they are ‘sacrificing’ the laity by bringing them close to physical bankruptcy as well.  

I wonder what the God whom they say they serve thinks about their actions which they are performing supposedly in His name.

Greg Mansell, West Ulverstone.

INTERESTINGLY Seven West Media and News Corps Foxtel are negotiating vigorously for the commentary services of former champion spin bowler Shane Warne, desperately wanting his 'spin' on the day’s play in their crucial first season in control of cricket broadcasting. 

If you are like me and are disillusioned with the game at the top level right now, due to our Aussie cheats saga, the mooted $7000-a-day figure for Warne's services would be a waste of money. 

Many, like myself, no longer see the game at the highest level, having the highest level of integrity. We will no longer be listening, let alone watch it.

Robert Lee, Summerhill.

THE police and the pollies believe that the banning of gang colours will not impact on ordinary motorcyclists. 

Think again. 

In Queensland it lead to the wholesale discrimination against anyone on a large motorcycle. 

The police used the excuse that they thought ordinary motorcyclists may have been 1%-ers because without their colours they couldn't tell the difference. 

I'm one of thousands of Tasmanians who ride a large motorcycle and I for one will be screaming loudly if I get detained for no reason.

Ken Terry, Bridport.

THE concrete seats surrounding the phallic structures of the Polish memorial are wet for most of the day. 

The concrete path through the memorial is a puddle after rain. 

Is this a devastatingly clever scheme to exclude people from a public space, or merely a sloppy bungle? 

Please let's have no more unusable concrete erections in public places.

Anna Fitzpatrick, Trevallyn

WHEN will Indigenous Australians have a national museum, that tells their story that covers some 60,000 years?

Syd Edwards, Kings Meadows.