Auditor rejects Xenophon submarine check

The auditor-general has rejected a call for an independent review of a major Defence Department submarine contract.

South Australian senator Nick Xenophon has asked the Australian National Audit Office to audit the command and control system selection for the SEA 1000 Future Submarine Project.

However auditor-general Grant Hehir said in a statement on Wednesday he does not plan to do a separate audit in the light of advice from the government and the fact that there was already an audit under way into Defence's arrangements to select a preferred partner for the Future Submarine Program.