Marles declares there will be an Australia Day event in London

“The high commissioner in London, if he’s not prepared to celebrate Australia Day, if he’s ashamed of Australia Day, then frankly I think he should be looking for a new job,” he said.

On Monday, Smith told this masthead he was happy to acknowledge the “sensitivities” surrounding the national day, as well as the cost.

“It is well known that Australia Day touches on sensitivities for some Australians,” a spokesman for the commissioner said in a statement.

High commissioner to the UK Stephen Smith on Monday told this masthead he was happy to acknowledge the “sensitivities” surrounding the national day, as well as the cost.Credit: Hollie Adams

“The high commissioner is happy to acknowledge that was part of the decision-making process with respect to the various alternative dates suggested by the foundation.”

On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s office sent a response attributable to Smith in which the prime minister’s hand-picked envoy said the decision to cancel the event was prompted chiefly by the cost.

“Supporting the gala dinner in the past has cost the Australian high commission. This year the estimate was $55,000,” Smith said in a statement.

“The high commission determined that Australian taxpayers should no longer bear such a cost.”

Organisers said they were mystified by the quote, confirming the cost of hiring Exhibition Hall at Australia House was £6000 ($11,400) a year ago.

Email correspondence sent by the high commission and seen by this masthead detailed the cost of hiring the hall.

“We have set out below a total cost estimate of approximately £29,000 ($55,333) for the event, covering room hire and on-costs (security, portering and cleaning),” according to the email dated November 24.

“Please note this is an estimate of costs only and the total cost of the event will depend on actual costs incurred.”

Smith, who served in the foreign affairs, trade and defence portfolios during the Rudd-Gillard years, took up the London posting on Australia Day this year after completing a major strategic review of the nation’s defence forces for the government.

The high commissioner role had been vacant since April 2022, when former Liberal cabinet member George Brandis’ term expired.

Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis from Jacqueline Maley. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter here.