Foreign affairs not told about Robert trip

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and its Beijing embassy had no prior knowledge of a trip under-siege minister Stuart Robert made to China, a Senate committee has been told.

The embassy became aware of the private visit after being told by Defence in late August 2014.

It was normal practice for the department to be told about MPs' and ministers' official travel, Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary Peter Varghese told an estimates hearing in Canberra on Thursday.

Notice of any private trips depended on whether MPs chose to inform the department, he said.

"There isn't a hard and fast rule about advising missions that you're on private travel."

Labor Senate leader Penny Wong said that as a former minister it was inconceivable to her that an Australian minister would meet a Chinese vice-minister without having a DFAT official present.

Mr Varghese took on notice what action DFAT or the embassy took after finding out about Mr Robert's meeting.

Mr Robert also played golf and visited tourist sites while in China, the hearing was told.

Mr Varghese said he did not know whether the minister travelled on a diplomatic or personal passport, or the type of visa he was granted to enter China.

DFAT official Graham Fletcher said the department had not made any inquiries about what was said during Mr Robert's meeting.

But he described what was a ceremonial meeting for commercial arrangements as a "courtesy call" which was polite but not necessarily full of substance.

Mr Fletcher acknowledged the Chinese thought they were dealing with Mr Robert in an official capacity.

Asked if it was appropriate for a minister to attend such a meeting behind DFAT's back, Mr Varghese said: "Ultimately these are questions of judgment for the minister."