Received by email - 11 February 2003

Submission to the Textile Clothing and Footwear Inquiry

From:	Paul Taranto
Sent:	11 February 2003     11:09
To: 	tcf@pc.gov.au
Subject:	Government policies that are harming the textile and many other businesses in Australia

I am glad to have an opportunity to have a say regarding our governments policy towards the textile industry and all manufacturing industries in Australia.  

I wish to express my total disagreement in global free trade as it is harming the Australian way of life which is against our constitution. 

Sometime ago I had faxed the Prime Minister Mr John Howard expressing my feelings about this matter and had no reply which totally disillusioned me with the Liberal Party which I have voted for all my life. 

Basically the textile industry has now since 1970 decreased by 90% most companies going into receivership causing huge unemployment, all due the fact that this government wishes to export our workers jobs overseas where workers are unable to achieve the lifestyle Australians were used too. This is I believe against our constitution. 

The only industries we will eventually have is tourism, farming and mining the latter two will eventually grind to a halt, where will we be then. In the early 50's we were told we could not survive as a country relying only on the sheep's back so we industrialised now we are reverting back to the sheep. 

One day in the not too distant future we will be unable to clothe ourselves or manufacture engineered products. 

I began my life in the textile trade at Speedo Sportswear where I served my time as a apprentice textile mechanic. Speedo used to be a growing company until we began to allow under paid manufactured clothing into Australia. Now Speedo is owned by overseas interests with no manufacturing in Australia. 

Most of our clothing, shoes, tools, plumbing items and the list goes on which we purchase now is being made in China. What Chinese worker works a 40 hour week, can afford to buy a 1/4 acre block of land, own a car and have annual holidays. Bugger them help Australians their governments don't care about us. 

C'mon some one stand up and fight for Australians rights to work in whatever field he wishes and be on a level playing field with countries that keep their workforce in a slavelike state whilst their government and upper classes live like kings, create nuclear weapons, and delve in space travel. 

One could go on and on but whilst our politicians are earning high wages, receiving their unfair pensions and so on why should they worry about normal Australians who work a lot harder to support them.