The commission was due to hand in its first report to the government on January 31, however, it has been granted a two-week extension after it indicated it was struggling to meet the deadline. A second report is due in March but Treasurer Joe Hockey will keep all recommendations secret until after he delivers his first budget in May.

Mr Shepherd told senators last week that ''everything is on the table''.

But questions have been raised over whether he should have had any contact with SBS - which requested the meeting - when he continues to advocate for pay TV providers in his position as chairman of the Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association. The group, whose members include Telstra, Foxtel and ESPN, on Monday issued an invitation to a party at Parliament House, Canberra, next month.

''Tony Shepherd AO, chairman, Astra, invites you to join the leaders and stars of Australian subscription television to celebrate the quality, creativity and diversity of content watched by seven million Australians,'' it says.

The event falls between when the audit's interim and final reports.