A RED RAG...
 
The story had all the ingredients to stir national pride and national anger. Also throw in a bit of Commie scaremongering. Even the Herald Sun  headlines stirred the pot. ‘Digger Uniforms Outrage’ and ‘Red Army.’ ‘Diggers’ uniforms will now be made in China’. Grab the smelling salts… this is treason.

The fact that the Defence Department has changed its mind and the Minister for military supplies, Greg Combet, now says ‘no way, Jose’ doesn’t detract from the issue and the passionate but knee-jerk reaction from so many people.
 
What happened was the Defence Department put out a tender for new uniforms for our SAS troops. They were being made in Wangaratta by Bruck Textiles.
 
 A new contract was won by a Bendigo company which was going to have the special fabric made by a Chinese company. Presumably because it was cheaper.  The uniforms would still be made in Australia.
 
Apparently, the Chinese company was some months behind in meeting the Defence Department’s  specifications and now Mr. Combet says the Chinese deal was ‘only an option’  and ‘this option has not been exercised by the Department of Defence and it will not be exercised.'’
 
This despite a Defence Department admission only last night that the fabric would be made in China.
 
But what’s the big deal?  I don’t care where our soldiers gear is made as long as it is the best quality, the safest, the most user-friendly, and the most comfortable.
 
For too long –especially in the Iraq war – we had Aussie troops buying gear out of their own pockets, including boots from the Americans, because Australian Army issue was inferior.
 
I don’t care if their camouflage gear is made in Botswana as long as it is the best.
 
It’s easy to wrap yourself in the flag when Diggers and the awful Chinese are in the same headline.
 
The Opposition’s Sophie Mirabella was in full flight. ‘It’s dangerous, unpatriotic and tawdry for the Government to save a few dollars and buy overseas. Our soldiers risk their lives under the flag and in the uniform of this country’.
 
Yep and most of the flags are already made in China. And the Diggers famous slouch hats aren’t Australian-made either. They are now made in Yugoslavia.
 
It’s a global village Sophie.
 
Wednesday, February 10, 2010

© Copyright Derryn Hinch 2010