The appointment of former Labor minister Stephen Smith as Australia’s next high commissioner to Britain was more the exception to the rule, the federal government said, as it pledged to give fewer diplomatic postings to former politicians.

Following a strong public backlash over the John Barilaro affair in NSW, the Albanese government left itself the option of appointing former MPs to some key posts, especially Washington, but otherwise said it was time to put diplomats back into diplomatic positions.