George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

When I visited the United Kingdom in March of last year I hosted an official dinner in honour of leaders of the United Kingdom's arts community. Among the guests at that dinner, of whom there were six people not four as has been erroneously reported, at an approximate cost of $180 per head not $300 per head as has been erroneously reported, was Sir Peter Bazalgette, the Chairman of Arts Council England and Sir Jonathan Mills, the Director of the Edinburgh Festival.

You should know, Senator Sterle, that it is very common for ministers of governments—Labor and coalition—to host official receptions. The restaurant at which the reception was hosted was chosen not by me but by DFAT. It was chosen because it was the in-house restaurant of a hotel at which I was accommodated. That venue was chosen not by me but by DFAT. Senator Sterle, I inquired recently whether or not the Corinthia Hotel is the hotel of choice of the Australian High Commission in London. I was told by the acting high commissioner that, for the last three or four years, all ministers who travelled to London had been accommodated at the Corinthia Hotel. Every minister who has travelled to London, whose travel arrangements have been made by the Australian High Commission, was accommodated at the Corinthia Hotel. That was not their decision; it was the decision of the high commission.