Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is standing by his communications minister despite an audit office report critical of the way the government handled a tender process for its initial broadband network.
The failed process cost the government and proponents more than $30 million, including $17 million for the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy.
The government scrapped its $4.7 billion plan for fibre-to-the-node network, replacing it with the $42 billion national broadband network.
Mr Rudd said he had not being briefed on the audit report but his recollection was that none of the responses to the tender process represented value for money for the taxpayer.
When asked whether he had confidence in Communications Minister Stephen Conroy to oversee the national broadband network, Mr Rudd said: "Absolutely."
