Australia has made diplomatic representations to Iraq following accusations of torture and mistreatment of a detained citizen.
Australian engineer Robert Pether on Thursday marked a year since his detention. He was convicted in August 2021 alongside a colleague for misrepresentation and fraud.
Mr Pether was arrested following a dispute between the Iraqi government and his employer, a consulting firm working on the new Central Bank headquarters.
A United Nations report on arbitrary detention detailed allegations that Mr Pether had been subject to extreme cold, humiliation, threats of death and forms of psychological abuse, including being shown a torture room.
Ian Gerard from the foreign affairs department's consular and crisis management division said Australia is aware of the opinion adopted by the UN working group and the serious nature of the findings but was not consulted on the opinion or the finding that Mr Pether had been arbitrarily detained.
"The Australian government make very careful judgment about when we publicly use that term - arbitrary detention," Mr Gerard told Senate estimates.
"It depends on a number of facts - the charges, the nature of the legal process, the conditions in which the detainee is held and their wishes.
"Our ambassador is closely involved in this case and it is our collective judgment that the prospects for his release are better served by not speculating publicly about these matters."
Mr Gerard says Australia will continue to advocate on Mr Pether's behalf, with support for him and his family being the government's main priority.
"We have raised that with Iraqi authorities," he said.
"In the report, those claims about torture have been referred to the special rapporteur."
