Australian opposition slams handling of TV tender

Wednesday 23 Nov 2011
The Australian opposition has welcomed the Auditor General’s decision to investigate the tender process for the Australia Network overseas television service contract, ABC News reports.

The government scrapped the tender process because of leaks to the media.

The ABC was competing with Sky News for the contract.

The Auditor General said both the government and the opposition requested an investigation.

But Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop said the Minister concerned, Stephen Conroy, did not deserve any credit for that.

She said there were serious questions for the government to answer.

“(Mr Conroy has) been dragged kicking and screaming. He’s only agreed to an Auditor General’s investigation because the Senate was about to launch an inquiry,” she said.

“I’m pleased that the Auditor General has decided to conduct this investigation into the government’s mishandling of the tender.

“The government has interfered with what was meant to be an independent tender process.

“The Prime Minister and … Mr Conroy are both complicit in the bungling of the tender process and must explain their actions at every step of the process.”