Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

The two Australian companies Mountcastle and Akubra currently supply slouch hats to the Australian Defence Force. These companies have supplied slouch hats since 2003 through contracts won from the previous competitive tendering process. The current contracts are expected to meet Australian Defence Force requirements to supply slouch hats until 2011. I am advised that Mountcastle have assured Defence that they have no plans to source a supply of slouch hats from overseas. The Department of Defence has undertaken to reopen the tender arrangements; that is the process that is underway at the moment. And attempts to sink to the very depths of hypocrisy on this issue should be condemned for the nonsense that they are.