Malcolm Turnbull won’t extend PJ party invitation to others

Malcolm Turnbull’s pyjama diplomacy is a roaring success, but he’s keen to play down expectations he will put up Putin.

19/02/16: PM Malcolm Turnbull and his wife Lucy iare hosting New Zealand's PM John Key and his wife Bronagh at his Point Piper mansion in Sydney's East. John Feder/The Australian.

Malcolm Turnbull’s foray into ­pyjama diplomacy has been a roaring success but the Prime Minister appears keen to play down expectations he’ll be putting up Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-un or perhaps Donald Trump at his Sydney mansion.

The Prime Minister was keen to pull out a trundle bed for New Zealand’s “first couple”, John and Bronagh Key, in his four-floor Mediterranean-style harbourside residence, just as his wife Lucy was happy to prepare a fish dinner for the four last night.

“Lucy and I are very hospit­able,” Mr Turnbull said at his joint press conference with the New Zealand Prime Minister in Sydney yesterday.

But when asked if his pyjama diplomacy, revealed exclusively in The Australian yesterday, could extend to “sleepovers” for other world leaders there was hesitation. “We will just start with the Keys, I think, and see how we go,” Mr Turnbull said.

Certainly Mr Key was happy to be the first official pyjama diplomat and brought some New Zealand white wine in his chilly bin to go with the fish.

“I just want to thank you for what you’re doing in terms of the hand of friendship that you show New Zealand. Always great to be here,” Mr Key said.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key (left) and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull during a media conference.

He said he was looking forward to what is “now the pyjama diplomacy” dinner and sleepover and while he brought white wine he was also looking forward “to a couple of fine Australian red wines”. The red wine was for the cheese.

After trying to contain the prospect of holding an open house for any visiting foreign leader, Mr Turnbull also played down any ­expectation of a riotous pyjama party. “I know there’s been a bit of speculation about the pyjama party, but I can assure you we’re just going to have a quiet dinner and, as John said, a few reds — so very, very sedate,” Mr Turnbull said.

Malcolm Turnbull (L) and John Key (R) travel on a ferry in Sydney Harbour. Credit: AFP

But the after-dinner conversation was likely to liven up when Mr Key raised the issue of New Zealand’s new flag with Australia’s chief republican. Mr Key yesterday wore a lapel badge of the proposed flag, which is free of a Union Jack, as part of a campaign to support a referendum next month.

Mr Turnbull’s offer to put up the New Zealand Prime Minister for a night was a return gesture after Mr Key last year hosted a priv­ate dinner for the Turnbulls at Antoine’s restaurant in Auckland.

It is the first time a visiting leader has stayed at the private residence of an Australian prime minister during an official visit.