Budgie Nine staffer's new gig scrutinised

One of the so-called 'Budgie Nine' who quit his job in cabinet minister Christopher Pyne's office, has been picked up by a company which has a half billion dollar contract with Defence.

Jack Walker and eight friends attended the Grand Prix in Malaysia last year and celebrated Australian Daniel Ricciardo's win by stripping down to their budgie smugglers emblazoned with the Malaysian flag.

Malaysian authorities were not amused and the nine men spent four nights in jail before being cautioned and released.

Mr Walker tendered his resignation as a senior policy advisor to Mr Pyne, shortly after returning to Australia,

A Senate estimates hearing in Canberra on Wednesday heard Mr Walker is now employed at Abacus which has a $549 million defence contract for IT services.

"Any suggestion of impropriety there, I would really have to take exception to," Defence department secretary Dennis Richardson said.

He said the original contract was with Lockheed Martin but the company sold that arm of its business and the deal transferred across last year.

Defence Minister Marise Payne promised to find out from her colleague Defence Industry Minister Mr Pyne whether he had provided Mr Walker with a reference or helped him get the job.