A top-level review of authorities' response to the Sydney cafe siege did not consider a letter from the gunman to Attorney-General George Brandis.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told parliament on Thursday an "administrative error" had led to the letter from Man Haron Monis to Senator Brandis, and the attorney-general's department response, not being provided to the review by the heads of the prime minister's department and NSW Premier Mike Baird's office.
The letter from Monis was received on October 7, 2014, and the response was sent on November 5 - six weeks before the siege.
The two letters have now been passed on to officials in the prime minister's department and the NSW premier's office.
Ms Bishop said the prime minister had been advised by his department head Michael Thawley that the letter and response would have made no difference to the outcome of the review.
The letters were referred to the inquest into the siege.
Labor frontbencher Tony Burke objected to Ms Bishop making the clarification only after question time was over, when there was no more opportunity for further scrutiny.
"It is a serious matter," Mr Burke said.
Monis and two hostages died in the Lindt Cafe in Sydney's Martin Place after a 17-hour siege.
In a later statement, Senator Brandis said his department told his office on Monday afternoon that their advice about the Monis letter was wrong.
He said he then asked his department secretary Chris Moraitis to conduct an urgent inquiry.
His report was delivered on Thursday afternoon, confirming that the Monis letter and the department's reply had not been provided to the Thawley-Comley review, contrary to the earlier advice.
Senator Brandis said he had promptly written to the secretary of the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee correcting earlier evidence.
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