Government officials say they were not aware of a health company’s history of donations to the Liberal Party when they decided to award it a contract to fight Ebola in Africa.
The federal government last year awarded Aspen Medical a contract worth more than $20 million to run a UK-built Ebola treatment centre in the troubled African nation of Sierra Leone.
Aspen was chosen through a “direct source” process rather than through a competitive tender process.
It subsequently emerged that Aspen had donated $30,000 to the federal Liberal Party in 2013/14.
Labor Senate leader Penny Wong sought to link the contract with the donations during an estimates hearing in Canberra on Thursday.
She pointed out that direct sourcing was the least competitive procurement process – akin to a “captain’s pick”.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials confirmed the national security committee of cabinet made the decision to use a direct source process rather than go to tender.
But development policy official Blair Exell said he was the one who chose Aspen, after examining six companies.
“Were you aware of Aspen’s history of donations to the Liberal Party?” Senator Wong asked.
“No, senator,” Mr Exell responded.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop’s office was only brought into the process once Aspen was chosen, he said.
Mr Exell said Aspen was judged to be the best provider because it had a good track record dealing with infectious disease outbreaks throughout the world, including experience working in Africa.
DFAT deputy secretary Ewen McDonald defended the decision to directly source Aspen, saying a tender process would have taken too long – between three and six months – and the situation was urgent.
Attorney-General George Brandis pointed out Labor had also awarded Aspen a number of contracts during its time in government.
Labor received a $1500 donation from Aspen in the 2013/14 financial year.
Since opening in mid-December, the treatment centre has had 143 patients through its doors.
It is now treating eight patients as the Ebola outbreak begins to recede.
© 2016 AAP