David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, upon notice, on 18 August 2011:

Has the Minister or any of his staff and/or the department received any correspondence from, or had discussions with, any of the interested parties involved in the tender process in relation to Australia Network concerning the impact of the Government's decision on the financial viability of their proposal; if so, when and what parties were involved, and what was the nature of the correspondence and/or discussions.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Foreign Affairs has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

In the period since Senator Johnston submitted Question on Notice 947 on 18 August 2011, the Government terminated the Australia Network tender process and instituted an investigation by the Australian Federal Police due to leaks of confidential information. The Auditor-General has also decided to conduct a performance audit of the administration of the Australia Network tender processes. As the Questions on Notice go to matters being considered by the Australian Federal Police and Australian National Audit Office, it would not be appropriate to comment.