Australian taxpayers stumped up $76,000 to renovate a bathroom and host a gay pride party in London featuring a professional drag queen who won Big Brother and presents a TV dating show.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne has revealed the expenses of Australia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, George Brandis – a former Liberal attorney-general.
Less than a year after he was posted to London by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, taxpayers have been charged more than $A76,000, or £41,900 British pounds, to renovate a bathroom at Australia House.
Australian taxpayers stumped up $76,000 to renovate a bathroom and host a gay pride party featuring a professional drag queen in London. Foreign Minister Marise Payne has revealed the expenses of Australia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom George Brandis (pictured right with Prince Harry)
Senator Payne confirmed the office bathroom was ‘part of a programmed whole-of-building refurbishment of “wet areas”,’ as part of a question on notice from Labor senator Catryna Bilyk.
The Foreign Minister also revealed Mr Brandis was allocated an annual entertainment allowance of $92,571.
He appeared to be putting that ‘representative allowance’ to good use, hosting a reception for London Pride Week at Australia House in early July 2018, seven weeks after he was posted to the U.K..
Mr Brandis, who campaigned for gay marriage as a cabinet minister, posed in a picture with cross-dressing Australian reality TV show host Shane Jenek, who also performs as Courtney Act and last year won the U.K. version of Celebrity Big Brother.
Mr Brandis (second left), who is entitled to a $92,571 entertainment allowance, hosted a London Pride Week party at Australia House and posed in a picture with cross-dressing reality TV show host Shane Jenek, who also dresses in drag as his alter ego Courtney Act
Jenek’s alter ego Courtney Act (pictured) hosts The Bi Life, a British dating show with bisexual contestants
Jenek’s drag queen alter ego hosts The Bi Life, a British dating show with bisexual contestants.
The 37-year-old self-described bisexual entertainer appeared as himself at the Pride Week party featuring a DJ.
The good times didn’t stop there, with Mr Brandis hosting a dinner on July 18 for his former Liberal cabinet colleague, ex-foreign minister Julie Bishop, at his Stoke Lodge residence in London.
When he wasn’t entertaining dinner guests, Mr Brandis was also hosting long lunches.
The good times didn’t stop there, with Mr Brandis hosting a dinner on July 18 for his former Liberal cabinet colleague, foreign minister Julie Bishop (front and centre), at his Stoke Lodge residence in London
Comedian Adam Hills, the former host of Spicks and Specks who now fronts The Last Leg in the U.K., was the headline act at an AFL Grand Final lunch at Australia House in late September last year.
Comedian Adam Hills was the headline act at an AFL Grand Final lunch
Senator Payne confirmed in writing that ‘all lunches and dinners’ consisted of an entree, main course and dessert.
‘On some occasions, hors d’oeuvre were served with pre-dinner drinks,’ she said.
Senator Payne said Mr Brandis’s entertainment entitlements were consistent with allowances provided to other ambassadors and Commonwealth high commissioners.
‘The High Commissioner, like all heads of mission, is provided with a standard representation allowance,’ she said in her parliamentary Budget estimates answer.
Australia’s chief diplomats serve Australian wines to their guests, the Foreign Minister added.
For those occasions when Mr Brandis needs to cook for himself, taxpayers coughed up $4,800, or £2,640, on installing an under bench oven at his Stokes Lodge residence.
Foreign Minister Maris Payne (pictured) said Mr Brandis’s entertainment entitlements were consistent with allowances provided to other ambassadors and Commonwealth high commissioners