asked the Minister representing the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, in writing, on 18 August 2011:

Has the Minister or any staff of the Minister's office received a briefing, written or verbal, from the Minister's department, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and/or consultants expressing concerns about the change to the request for tender for the Australia Network contract and/or associated documentation; if so, (a) on what date, and (b) can the Minister indicate the nature of the concerns.

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has provided the following answer to the honourable member's question:

I was involved in the Cabinet discussions on the additional criterion added to the Request for Tender. Consideration is a matter of Cabinet confidentiality.