Amal Clooney cancels appearance at Australian conference because she has to be in The Hague

WHEN regular people bail on plans, we usually dish out lame excuses. But human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, has taken it to a classic new level.

George Clooney and his wife, British-Lebanese lawyer Amal Clooney. Picture: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP

WHEN regular people bail on plans, we usually dish out lame excuses like “I’m too hungover” or “I’m in a Stranger Things Netflix binge and not leaving the house”.

But human rights lawyer and wife of actor George Clooney, Amal Clooney, has a pretty damn good reason for cancelling her appearance at an Australian conference she was supposed to headline next month.

Organisers of the Women World Change conference, The Growth Faculty, have “received notice that Amal Clooney has been called to hearings at The Hague over the conference dates and will not be available to attend the Women World Changers Summit in October,” according to a statement.

The Hague is home to the UN’s International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court. Mrs Clooney represents numerous high profile political clients, including Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and Canadian-Egyptian journalist Mohamed Fahmy.

Mrs Clooney is known for her impeccable style and incredible resume. Picture: Rex Features/Splash News

Tickets to the conference in Melbourne and Sydney range from $895-$1200, while the ‘Meet Amal’ VIP package costs $2200.

The event is still going ahead and the current 1000 ticket holders are eligible for a full refund.

“We have immediately started our search for a new ‘World Changer’ and as soon as we have a new keynote speaker confirmed, you will be notified,” ticket holders were told in an email.

Television star Waleed Aly is due to host the October conference event in Melbourne, while Indira Naidoo will be host in Sydney.

Amal Clooney is the second celebrity to cancel her appearance at an expensive Australian conference.

Reese Witherspoon was set to come down under in July to headline a $2000-a-head business conference, but the event was mysteriously cancelled.

Tickets to the two-day conference ranged between $1997 and $2997, including meals. The VIP tickets included priority seating and a photo opportunity with Witherspoon.

The event’s organiser Jacqueline Nagle told news.com.au she was bound by a strict confidentiality agreement and could not comment on why the event was cancelled.