NEW technology could see the Chinese potentially “track” where every Australian soldier is at any given moment, after a firm in China was handed a lucrative contract to make dress uniforms for the Australian Defence Force.

At least that was the latest bizarre claim by Labor involving China and its regional strength and capability.

A parliamentary review into the defence portfolio could have focused on Australia’s diminishing combat strength capability, huge armaments procurement program and the war in the Middle East.

Instead multiple questions were fired at Army on the procurement of the formal dress of officers, including those worn by officers giving evidence before the cross-party committee.

While combat uniforms including boots, socks and slouch hats are made in Australia, a 2015 tender to make dress uniforms saw no Australian company with the capacity to make them locally.

The contract was awarded to Bendigo-based Australian Defence Apparel (ADA) who subcontracted the process to a Chinese firm.

Victorian Labor Senator Kim Carr asked Australian Defence chiefs whether they were aware ADA’s parent company in Canada, Logistik Unicorp, conceded it had radio frequency identification technology to track raw materials and finished goods. He questioned whether Army knew if this involved the embed in fabric of tracking material to see where there garments are at any time.

Major General David Coghlan who leads that particular industry division conceded he didn’t and also admitted when asked he was not aware of whether the subcontractor was an arm of the Chinese Government or was linked to the fearsome PLA (Peoples Liberation Army).

He could not say what security checks were made prior to the contract being handed out or whether Australian officials had made an audit site inspection of the subcontractor’s Chinese plant.

Defence do not know who is making ADF uniforms in China! #auspol #estimates — Kim Carr (@SenKimCarr) October 19, 2016

He later returned to the committee to confirm the Chinese contractor was the privately owned Shandong Yeliya, which did not produce Chinese army uniforms nor was linked to the government of army.

He was then asked whether he knew who the shareholders of the subcontractor were. He didn’t but told the committee he would endeavour to find out.

Last month Labor made headlines when Labor powerbroker Sam Dastyari backed China’s position on the South China Sea contrary to the party’s position on China. He later quit over Chinese donations scandal. Labor also has sought changes to the Migration Act in relation to the Australia-China free trade agreement to protect Australian workers and called for a ramping up of freedom of navigation exercises near the contested South China Sea islands.

Australian firms have not had the capacity to make “Australia only” uniforms for more than a decade due to cost, capacity and manufacturing ability.

Senator Carr also questioned whether the vetting process for uniform manufacturings was adequate.