Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Let's take this opportunity to reiterate some of the facts about this. I know Senator Conroy has answered some extensive questions during the most recent estimates process regarding this. The Australia Network is a core element, as we all know, of our overseas broadcasting network, and it is a major public diplomacy platform. It makes a significant contribution, as we know, to the promotion and protection of Australia's national interests.

Let's go to the tender process. It was terminated, as Senator Conroy has said a number of times, including again today, on legal advice that it was compromised by the leaking of information confidential to the process. We know that at all times, though, this government has acted within the terms and conditions of the tender process—no more or no less than the opposition have done in government and would do again, no doubt, if they ever got a chance to be in government again.

For the benefit of the Senate I think it is worth explaining that the Australia Network has come to this point under the absolute propriety of the government's actions at every stage of the process. The government announced that it would conduct an open tender process, as we all know, for the Australia Network in November last year and, as is the normal practice in these matters, placed an official publication notice of the tender on AusTender on 4 February this year. Tenderers were given until 25 March to respond. They were considered by an independent panel of government officials, a process which, again, is normal practice for such a large tender, and it took several months.

Despite the assertions of the opposition Senator Conroy, as I understand it, has said repeatedly that he had no involvement in the development of the ABC's bid during this time and nor was he briefed on it—