STATEMENTS BY SENATORS

Senator DARMANIN (Victoria—Deputy Government Whip in the Senate) (13:32): This week is Ethical Clothing Australia Week, and this year's theme is All Clothing is Handmade. It's food for thought; in an age where clothing is seemingly endless and at our fingertips, it is worth remembering that each of those items has a skilled pair of hands—usually, many pairs of hands—behind it.

The process of making an item is increasingly fragmented. What that means is that, while one human designs it, a different human might develop the pattern. Humans cut the fabric and material, assemble it, check it for quality and prepare it for dispatch.

No matter where you buy your clothing from or how much it costs, skilled workers are involved. What is less certain is how much they're paid and how they are treated at work. I also note that the most ethical clothing is the clothing that you already own.

I've owned this cat dress for 10 years now and I still love to wear it, obviously. I wear it so often that I'm taking it to the tailor next week to extend its life. I want to acknowledge Ethical Clothing Australia, who organise this week.

ECA accredit Australian businesses and makers who are doing the right thing by protecting and upholding the rights of Australian garment workers. One of those businesses is Hatch and Make. Dave, the CEO, subscribes to a circular economy in his business, seeking to prevent materials from ever becoming waste and championing the regeneration of nature.

It is a challenging and admirable aspiration. Our globalised world means the different steps of the manufacturing process often need to occur across multiple countries. Dave cites the processing of Australian wool as an example of this.

This week is a reminder to reflect on who makes our clothes and how they are treated. I certainly have been and I encourage others to do the same.