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

The specifications that are released by defence are designed to meet the requirements of the Australian Defence Force. As I said in my earlier answer, approximately 99 per cent of suppliers of defence combat and non-combat clothing for the financial year 2010-11 were Australian. One of the most important clothing products provided to our soldiers is the combat uniform. The senator would be interested to know that in November last year the Minister for Defence Materiel made it clear that the standard combat uniform—the shirt and the pants—will continue to be manufactured in Australia. This means that the fabric is woven in Australia and the garment is stitched together in Australia. The specifications are designed, obviously, to meet the needs of the Defence Force, and 99 per cent of suppliers are Australian companies.