Foreign affairs officials have denied Australia tried to "whitewash" a United Nations resolution on the atrocities against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.
More than 600,000 Rohingya refugees have fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar's Rakhine state since late August, escaping what the UN says is a "textbook case of ethnic cleansing".
There were reports Australian diplomats had urged the UN Human Rights Council to tone down a resolution to extend the mandate of UN fact-finding mission to Myanmar.
"Such violations and abuses" was changed to "violence".
Under questioning from Labor's foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong in a Senate estimates hearing on Thursday, Department of Foreign Affairs official Philip Green said whitewashing was "certainly not the intention" of a language change.
The Myanmar government is yet to engage with the UN fact-finding mission.
Asked if Australia agrees with the UN's characterisation of "ethnic cleansing," Mr Green said the government wasn't in a position to independently make a conclusion because access to the state was restricted.
The hearing was told neither Foreign Minister Julie Bishop nor the prime minister had directly raised concerns with Myanmar government over the escalating situation in recent months.
Greens senator Nick McKim said Australia's response has been "pathetic".
"We don't have to use carrier pigeons these days," he said.
The department continues to justify Australia's ongoing military cooperation with the Myanmar defence force, even though the US and United Kingdom have done so.
"This is at the minimalist end of the spectrum," secretary Frances Adamson said, noting joint military exercises and weapons sales were banned.
