ABC Radio's AM has revealed that the Department Of Defence has made a secret compensation payout over copied equipment designs.

"It seems as though it's in the order of one million dollars that's been spent either in compensation or legal fees, perhaps a bit more than that, and that is money that could have gone to properly equipping our troops, Quite frankly it's a scandal."   Opposition Defence spokesman Robert McClelland told the ABC

Mr McClelland has called on Defence Minister Hill to investigate "systematic flaws, if not corrupt practices" within the defence force's procurment arm, the Defence Materiels Organisation.

The DMO commissioned a Melbourne company to design wet-weather gear, then used the designs to create the clothing.

The ABC, whose repeated attempts to interview Minister Hill on the issue were declined, claims that the Australian Defence Association, the Returned Serviceman's League and Labor are all concerned that DMO mismanagement is resulting in soldiers receiving second-rate equipment.  Mr McClelland said that the public was "entitled to be disgusted with the whole issue of management of the DMO" 

The wet-weather equipment's creator's, I..N.C. were inducted into the Victorian manufacturing Hall Of Fame "In recognition of innovation and industry leadership.