Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Overnight it was revealed that new service uniforms to be worn by Australian soldiers are being manufactured in China, because that represents best value for money, according to the Department of Defence. It has been confirmed that a $9 million contract awarded to ADA, Australian Defence Apparel, to produce non-combat clothing, involves the use of established subcontract arrangements overseas. You can understand, Mr Speaker, that the people of Bendigo are incredibly disappointed. We have an ADA defence manufacturing facility in Bendigo, which is currently manufacturing the combat uniform. The government know this. They have had several ministers out to the site to speak to the men and women who work there. The former Minister for Defence was out there at the very time that this new contract was being negotiated, talking to the men and women in Bendigo, but did he once breathe a word that the next contract would go overseas? The current Minister for Defence turned up in May to speak to the men and women at the facility in Bendigo, but not once did she outline the fact that they were not considered for this contract, that the company that had won it was their own company for manufacturing overseas. If this government were serious about Australian jobs and growth then it would see that these contracts went to Australian based manufacturers like we have in— (Time expired)