Former ag boss asked for email deletion

The former head of the federal agriculture department asked for an email related to the botched handling of a Freedom of Information request to be deleted before he resigned.

Paul Grimes stepped down earlier this year citing differences in direction with Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce.

While details surrounding the email sent on March 2015 are unclear, a department official told a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday the request to delete it came from Dr Grimes, even though the email appears to show it came from the minister's office.

"Good afternoon Dr Grimes. Consistent with the request from Minister Joyce's office, I intend to delete this email now from the system," the email reads.

When asked to explain why there was a request to delete the correspondence, deputy secretary Phillip Glyde said it came from Dr Grimes to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

"That email was deleted at the request of Dr Grimes," he told the hearing in Canberra.