The environment department tried to retrospectively redact information provided in Freedom of Information requests, senators have heard.
The department had given Guardian Australia information regarding the export of exotic and rare birds to a German company that was headed by a convicted criminal.
More than 200 birds were given the tick of approval to be exported, the information revealed.
Department official Kylie Jonasson admits she didn't expect the Guardian to comply with the new request to destroy or redact information, and the FOI overstepped the mark.
"To be quite frank, this was an administrative error of my team that this information was released," she told a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra on Thursday.
"The reality is more information than would normally have been provided has been provided."
The department was concerned people could create fake export permits using details in the FOI, Ms Jonasson added.
