Foreign affairs officials have not seen the text of a security pact between China and the Solomon Islands despite it having been "initiated" by the two countries.
Australia only found out about when a draft version was leaked on social media.
The document detailed measures to the crisis-hit Pacific island nation.
The deal would also allow armed Chinese police to deploy at the Solomon Islands' request to maintain "social order".
The "forces of China" would also be allowed to protect "the safety of Chinese personnel" and "major projects in the Solomon Islands".
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary Kathryn Campbell told senators the government had asked for a copy of the agreement.
But Australia did not have any more information following a statement from the Solomon Islands government revealing the "initialling" of the agreement last week, Ms Campbell said.
"My last briefing was that we have not seen the text of the agreement," the secretary told Senate estimates on Thursday.
"It's important that we do see the text and we have called for that."
The revelation comes a day after Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare revealed he had met two of Australia's top intelligence officials in the capital, Honiara.
Australian Secret Intelligence Service head Paul Symon and Office of National Intelligence director-general Andrew Shearer discussed "Australia's core security concerns", according to Mr Sogavare's office.
Mr Sogavare said in a statement the Solomon Islands reassured the intelligence officials the pact with China was "domestically focused" and complemented the current bilateral agreement with Australia.
"The meeting provided a platform for the two countries to better understand each other, in particular on Solomon Islands' decision on its broadened security partnership with China and other countries," Mr Sogavare said.
The prime minister remains firm about the signing of the agreement.
Revelations of the draft agreement also sparked fears that China would seek to establish a military base in the Solomon Islands.
But Mr Sogavare said last week his government would not allow this to occur "under its watch".
He labelled the claims as "misinformation promoted by anti-government commentators".
If China was to set up its military base in the Pacific, "it would have done so with either Papua New Guinea or Fiji," he said in a statement on Friday, arguing it was among the first South Pacific nations to establish bilateral relations with Beijing.
"Government is conscious of the security ramification of hosting a military base, and it will not be careless to allow such initiative to take place under its watch," he said.
