Downer ‘disappointed’ in Payne for leaving UK post vacant during Queen’s Platinum Jubilee | latikambourke
Australia’s former foreign minister Alexander Downer has savaged the decision by Foreign Minister Marise Payne to let the UK High Commissioner’s posting fall vacant during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
The UK has been granted an extra public holiday for the event and details of how many public appearances the Queen,Former High Commissioner to the UK and Australia’s longest-serving foreign minister Alexander Downer said Australia should have extended Brandis’ term until his replacement could be appointed by whichever party wins the federal election on May 21.
“Our country needs an active High Commissioner here as we approach the Queen’s Platinum Jubliee, surely the High Commissioner should have been invited to stay until the summer?”“As chairman of the group that works round the clock for better relations with Australia, this is a bit of a slap in the face for us to lose our High Commissioner at this critical time,” he said.
“Extending George Brandis’ term for a few more months until a new high commissioner is appointed after the election would have been a smart use of his networks and the failure to do so is an unforced error and a huge loss to Australia’s diplomatic influence,” she said. “To leave the UK without a high commissioner fails to recognise the importance of a hard-working and well-functioning high commission at this really important time in Australia-UK relations.
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