Australian Defence Force spending $14m to buy uniforms from China

Despite being our biggest security threat, the Australian Defence Force is spending tens of millions of dollars a year buying our gear from China.

The Australian Defence Force is spending up to $14m a year buying uniforms and other apparel from China.

Despite being Australia’s biggest security threat, China makes service dress uniforms and ceremonial clothing, including shirts, skirts, trousers and jackets for the Australian Army, navy and air force.

Chinese firms also provide the Australian Federal Police, a key agency in countering foreign interference, with more than a third of its uniform and personal equipment.

Chinese companies are now selling the ADF sporting attire, non-combat footwear, wet-weather gear and general personal protective clothing, including hi-vis vests, coveralls, safety goggles and gloves, the ADF has confirmed.

The imports, largely from Shandong province in eastern China, represent the biggest foreign input for defence clothing.

Australian-made garments make up 70 per cent of the total spend.

While 14 per cent of the ADF’s annual $90-100m clothing budget goes to China, Australia’s standard combat uniform across all three arms of service and the iconic slouch hat are two product lines required by the federal government to be made in Australia.

China makes service dress uniforms and ceremonial clothing for the Australian Army, navy and air force. Picture: Dan Peled

Combat boots (by Redback), safety boots (Steel Blue) and parade boots (RM Williams) are also made here.

Victoria Police and the AFP rely on China for a range of uniform items, and while VicPol refused to quantify the extent, the AFP said 34 per cent of its uniform and equipment items came from China.

Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior fellow Peter Jennings said: “We should cease purchasing any military or dual-use equipment from the PRC.

“While I would not insist on all aspects of uniforms to be made in Australia, I think a lesson from Covid-19 is that even quite simple items like face masks can become a critical issue if supply chains are disrupted.

“At a minimum we should source uniforms only from like-minded democracies and where we can be confident of no disruptions in supply.”

The issue of Chinese-made ADF garments was raised in 2010 when the Herald Sun ­revealed consideration was given to importing camouflage textile to make combat clothing as an option in a two-year contract for 120,000 uniforms, stitched in Australia.

While that would have saved $1.5m in a $13.6m contract, the idea was dropped after a backlash.

Australian-made garments make up 70 per cent of the total spend.

A 2016 senate committee was told dress uniforms were made in China on behalf of Australian Defence Apparel because local firms were unable or unwilling to tender for that $9m contract.

Given the human rights abuses identified in China’s textile sector,particularly the mass Uighur forced labour camps in Xinjiang, the ADF seeks to assure itself through regular factory visits that the garments it buys are slavery free.

But Mr Jennings said Australia should adopt a law similar to that passed by the US congress in June, the Uighur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which bans all cotton-based imports from China.