I think this is back-to-front: The voting age should be increased to 21 (when youth could hopefully have gained an appreciation of the really important national issues, and may be less self-centred to exclusion of all else); and the minimum age to hold a driver's licence increased to 18 (when youth may have attained some common sense), so there would be far fewer 'tragedies' involving vehicles packed with 'schoolies', and accidents involving youth and speed, alcohol, drugs, showing-off, road-racing and 'hooning'. (And, limited licences and speed-limited cars for all between 18-21.)

Military Service: No-one under 21 should be sent to a war or conflict zone - and then only those showing relevant maturity. Age can beget wisdom (though not always), but very few are 'born' with it.

As many have noted, there is more to doing a job than merely monkey-see, monkey-do, and genuine, earned experience - when duly applied - should be rewarded. To say an 18 year old is just as good as an experienced 21 year old is to denigrate the 21 year old.
Pay your dues, earn your rewards - honestly, and not by legislated chicanery perpetrated by self-interested Unions peddling spurious rubbish.

One problem with the drivers licence bit Saltpetre, many of our kids have enough problem getting to work now, if they could not drive, they would have very little chance of finding anything.

We have little public transport, & that little is restricted in its destinations. I don't think any of our kids can access work using it.

We had a real problem with the in school apprenticeship scheme, as none of them had licences. We could only organise work for them where we could also organise a lift to & from that work. So although I won't disagree that a bit more maturity before driving would be a good thing, in our world today, driving is critical to employment for many.

Hasbeen,

An alternative then would be to allow special licences to those under 18 really needing to drive to work or to education facilities, but with strict conditions (as to passengers, and time and route of travel), and restricted to appropriately speed limited vehicles. Subject of course to their passing a fairly stringent driving test - possibly including a personality assessment.

The other alternative is better, affordable and more extensive public transport facilities, or failing that, a subsidised cabcharge facility.
Not everything need be either or; or, there may be more than one way to skin a cat - in the genuine public interest.

Just about everyone on this thread makes sense. The hard part is to get the academic bureaucrats to understand.

Hi there people...

INDIVIDUAL, you really must tidy up your vocabulary, and desist forthwith from resorting to that intemperate language of yours -videlicet 'academic' on this public forum ? Mate, we must never, ever allow an 'academic' to get hold of anything worthwhile my friend, I'm sure you'd agree !

HASBEEN...your remarks about many young people who can't or don't drive, reminded me of a recent TV show titled 'RBT'. It shows this young bloke who lost his provisional licence for revealing a PCA at .010%. Barely a discernible registration of his true PCA measurement ? Yet, as a provisional driver, the law states he must be at zero. Thus lost his licence, and as a consequence, his job ! The ability to drive was an integral component of his job. Sometimes the law's an ass, true justice must be served, but in this case it's a 'lose and a lose' conclusion ?

Just reading your individual threads and comments, made me realise how much vocational experience, together with 'worldliness' each and every one of you have or had ?

I know a little of the occupational antecedents of BELLY, HASBEEN (who's compressed so much into his amazing life eg military aviation, car racing etc.),REHCTUB with his Butcher Shops, INDIVIDUAL who's also run successful businesses...!

Considering the above, irrespective of how academically or occupationally qualified a young person is. Until he or she can obtain that vitally necessary 'on the job' experience, they'll never be qualified enough to be considered competent to supervise the day to day operation of a section, or a small business ?

o sung wu,
cheers for all your remarks however, it pains me to have to disappoint you somewhat as I have never been in business but I do try understand those who are. I already understand the hurdles our bureaucrats put up for small business, they do it to us wage earners also.