John Anderson, Victoria 

Scanned Copy

Mr Gary Banks
Chairman
Productivity Commission
PO Box 80 Belconnen ACT 2616.

Dear Sir,
I am writing to you to express concern about the planned tariff reductions in the Textile, Clothing and Footwear industries and a reduction in the Strategic Investment Program and the impact of these on the community of Geelong.
Geelong still has a -agile economy as evidenced in a report in a Geelong Advertiser of 6th. June article that informed us that " May was the biggest month in the Geelong Food Relief Centre's 10 year history." This is just one of many such agencies involved in local charity work. Turning to "Choice" magazine of June 2003 is a chilling account of the conditions under which jeans and other items of clothing are manufactured in third world countries. Is this what we want: living on charity at home and sweat shops abroad making our clothing?
These are great challenges for us all and present evidence suggests these unhappy circumstances are set to continue and worsen if the current attitudes, that cheap labour and casual employment are acceptable, do not change.
I hope the Commission will address these issues and we see a happy outcome for all Australians,
Yours Sincerely,