Richard Alston slams UK envoy Stephen Smith over Australia Day ‘activism’

Richard Alston has accused his successor Stephen Smith of ‘alienating every Australian in London’, saying his Australia Day backflip is a result of being slapped down by his bosses in Canberra.

Australia’s high commissioner to Britain Stephen Smith. Picture: Ella Pellegrini

Former Australian high commissioner to Britain Richard Alston has accused his successor Stephen Smith of “indulging his own prejudices”, “alienating every Australian in London”, and hating socialising after he backtracked on his plan to skip Australia Day celebrations.

After Mr Smith sparked uproar when he informed organisers he would not be attending a gala dinner celebrating the national day because he may not be in London, before reversing his position, Mr Alston declared the high commissioner “clearly doesn’t enjoy the job and hates the socialising”.

Mr Alston – a former Liberal Party president and Howard government minister who served as high commissioner between 2005 and 2008 – said Mr Smith treated the commission’s lavish residence, Stoke Lodge, as his “private home”, and “effectively refuses” to make the manor house available for functions.

The high commissioner said he had been “able to rearrange his official travel plans” following revelations in The Australian that he would snub Australia Day celebrations for a second year in a row, after he signalled to organisers he may not be in London for the event.

Mr Smith ignited controversy last year when he informed organisers he would not be opening the doors to the Exhibition Hall of the Australian high commission in London for the gala. He reportedly cited concerns it would not be appropriate to hold the dinner around January 26, which marks the First Fleet’s landing in Sydney in 1788.

“Stephen Smith’s behaviour has not been in Australia’s best interests, simply indulging his own prejudices and alienating every Australian in London,” Mr Alston said.

“He clearly doesn’t enjoy the job and hates the socialising, effectively refuses to make the High Commission or the residence ­accessible for functions, despite them having been open to visiting Australians since time immemorial. It treats the residence as his private home, which it is not. It is an Australian hosting venue.”

Mr Alston said Mr Smith’s backflip was clearly the result of pressure from the government over his “misguided activism”.

“His refusal to come clean on his real reasons suggest that he is off on a frolic of his own, and that both DFAT and the Prime Minister do not support his misguided activism,” Mr Alston said.

“I knew him quite well in government, and found him both pleasant and sensible. I do not recognise his current incarnation.

“His caving is clearly a result of pressure from the government back home, and is a big slap in the face to him.”

Mr Smith, who was hand-picked by Anthony Albanese for the role, will deliver a “personal message” from the Prime Minister at the fundraiser dinner, which is attended by some of the nation’s most prominent business and industry leaders living in Britain. The event is traditionally held on the closest Saturday to Australia Day, this year falling on January 25.

“The high commission will be hosting a series of Australia Day events in the week leading up to Australia Day given Australia Day falls on a Sunday,” a spokesman for the Australian high commission in London said.

“The high commissioner has now been able to rearrange his official travel plans in order to attend the Australia Day Gala dinner on Saturday 25 January for the purpose of delivering a personal message from the Prime Minister to the dinner.”

Peter Dutton has accused Mr Smith of being “ashamed” of the national day, saying he should be “looking for a new job” if he does not believe in Australia Day.

“We have the institutions here in our country that make us a great democracy, freedom of speech, we have the ability to contribute in an egalitarian way and that is to be celebrated,” Mr Dutton said.

Mr Smith, a former Labor cabinet minister, has reportedly sought to eradicate parties from the social calendar since assuming the role in January 2023.

Mr Smith, a former Labor cabinet minister, has reportedly sought to eradicate parties from the social calendar since assuming the role in January 2023. His sidelining of major British-Australian charities and organisations has angered business leaders who have called him “a functionary, not a diplomat”.

One of Mr Smith’s ideas, which horrified expats, was to turn the century-old Australia House building in The Strand into offices. The building is used for diplomatic functions including an Indigenous fashion show during London Fashion Week.

Additional reporting: Jacquelin Magnay