Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the Senator for his question and acknowledge it is his first question in this place. I am advised that the Common­wealth typically spends between $80 million and $90 million on ADF clothing per year. It is sourced from approximately 220 suppliers. I am also advised that approximately 99 per cent of the clothing suppliers for the ADF are Australian companies. The work they do is crucial to ensuring every member of the ADF has the equipment they need to do their job. It is also good for Australian jobs and the Australian economy that so much of the work is done in Australia.

About the specifications for defence clothing and equipment: as senators will understand, the specification for clothing and equipment used by the ADF change regularly. I am advised that defence has in excess of 1,000 technical specifications for items of combat and non-combat clothing. They change when the needs of our ADF change and they change when there are improvements in the technology of product designers and manufacturers. This is particularly important as the threats faced by our troops are constantly evolving.

For this reason, defence has recently set up a new team called Diggerworks, which includes a number of soldiers who have recently returned from operations in the Middle East and also defence scientists and engineers. The team is led by Colonel Jason Blain, who is the commanding officer of Mentoring Task Force 1 and who returned from Afghanistan early last year. Their job is to test, evaluate and prototype new clothing and personal protective equipment for our soldiers to make sure they have what they need to do their difficult and dangerous work. I think those arrangements go a long way to addressing some of the concerns that have been expressed in the past by ADF personnel about their clothing and equipment. It does mean that there are a large number of technical specifications but also that those specifications do change over time as the needs of the ADF change. (Time expired)