Labor’s unacceptable interference in Australia Network tender
Monday, 05 December 2011
The Prime Minister must explain the ongoing and unacceptable political interference in its handling of the $223 million Australia Network tender.Minister for Communications Stephen Conroy announced on 7 November 2011 that he was scrapping the previous process, alleging “…significant leaks of confidential information to the media …” and referred the leaks to the Australian Federal Police for investigation.
On the same day, Senator Conroy announced a six month extension for the existing contractor through to August 2012, and that a decision on the long-term arrangements for the Network would be made “… no later than the end of March next year”.
It is deeply troubling that the Government has made a rush decision to grant the contract to the ABC before the outcome of the AFP investigation is known.
The Prime Minister must give a full explanation for her intervention into the tender process and her decision to strip responsibility from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and hand it to the Minister for Communications, who has responsibility for oversight of the ABC.
There is clear potential for the Minister for Communications to face a conflict of interest in this matter and there has been no adequate explanation of how that conflict would be avoided.
The decision appears to have been made while the Minister for Foreign Affairs is out of the country and absent from Cabinet.
This is further evidence of the breakdown in the relationship between the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister and the damage it is causing to Australia’s national interest.
