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

The Minister for Defence has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

Defence is working with the uniform manufacturer to incorporate feedback from the operational trial to enhance both the effectiveness and durability of these uniforms. These changes include moving to a slightly heavier but more durable fabric, as well as modifying some of the pockets to improve access and reduce the likelihood of the uniforms catching when moving through heavy undergrowth and confined spaces. All of these changes have been incorporated into the baseline design and will be included in the next order of uniforms, which will start arriving from the United States in January 2012.

Deployed soldiers have also been issued an extra set of uniforms (an increase from two sets to three) from the attrition stock held in theatre to ensure they have sufficient uniforms readily accessible if any garments do rip. Future deployments will be issued four sets per soldier.

The work that has been done by the contractor to incorporate the feedback from the operational trial and the testing that was conducted to support the decision to move to the more durable fabric was all done at nil cost to the Commonwealth. The unit cost for the uniforms has also remained unchanged.

The final configuration for the Australian made uniforms that are due to be delivered from mid-2012 will incorporate the feedback from the operational trial. As the uniforms will be made in Australia, they will not be made from the same fabric as the trial uniforms, but will be made from the cotton/polyester fabric used in the Disruptive Pattern Camouflage Uniform.