The Federal Opposition has questioned whether the Government is paying Google to run its advertisements, despite Communications Minister Stephen Conroy speaking out so strongly against the company.
Shadow special minister of state Michael Ronaldson says some Government departments have been paying Google millions of dollars to to direct people to Government ads.
This week Senator Conroy accused Google of committing "the biggest breach of privacy in history" over its collection of wi-fi data.
Senator Ronaldson has quizzed Government frontbencher Nick Sherry on whether the Government will stop using the company in light of Senator Conroy's views.
"I can't imagine a more significant summary or commentary on an organisation than that they have committed the single greatest breach in history," Senator Ronaldson said.
"I ask you, as a senior member of the Rudd Government, whether the Rudd Government will continue to support an organisation that you view as perpetrating such a heinous crime?"
Senator Sherry said he would look into the issue.
"Senator Conroy ... was obviously referring to one aspect of the behaviour that he was concerned [with] - one aspect of Google's operation," Senator Sherry said.
"That doesn't necessarily mean that the aspects of Google's advertising can be similarly critiqued.
"We'll make what inquiries we can about the purpose, justification, cost effectiveness of the Google ads.
"But Senator Conroy's made his concerns known about one aspect of Google. It's obviously in the media, it's on the transcript; beyond that I certainly can't comment."
