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

Has the Minister or any of his ministerial staff received a briefing, written or verbal, from the department and/or consultants regarding the expansion of the Australia Network into the Middle East and North Africa and its impact on the Network's penetration rates in Asia and/or the Pacific; if so, when and what was the nature of this advice.

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 943 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.