Foreign Minister Julie Bishop remains firm that she never planned to attend this year's Portsea Polo. An unworn Hugo Boss outfit suggests otherwise.
Fairfax Media can reveal the global fashion house had reportedly agreed to dress the foreign minister, who was set to be one of the star attractions at the annual society event on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula.
More National News Videos
- Video duration
- 00:33
Julie Bishop dragged into expenses scandal
Julie Bishop dragged into expenses scandal
A department of finance report shows that the Foreign Minister claimed almost $3000 to attend a marquee at the Portsea Polo event. Vision courtesy ABC News 24
Up Next
'I want to die in this building'
- Video duration
- 03:02
- Video duration
- 03:02
'I want to die in this building'
'I want to die in this building'
Elderly residents of Waterloo's social housing estate are determined to live their last days in the communities they have grown old in.
Up Next
Labelling food to save the orangutan
- Video duration
- 01:43
- Video duration
- 01:43
Labelling food to save the orangutan
Labelling food to save the orangutan
Zoos Victoria is campaigning for mandatory labelling of palm oil in food products to save the natural habitat of the orangutan.
Up Next
Strayan values
- Video duration
- 00:34
- Video duration
- 00:34
Strayan values
Strayan values
Our multicultural society is an example to the world ( ... if you speak 'Strayan).
Up Next
Police find missing boy taken from hospital
- Video duration
- 01:46
- Video duration
- 01:46
Police find missing boy taken from ...
Police find missing boy taken from hospital
Police report that a missing boy, taken from a Brisbane hospital, has been found in Newcastle.
Up Next
Melbourne teen arrested over school bomb hoax
- Video duration
- 00:26
- Video duration
- 00:26
Melbourne teen arrested over school bomb ...
Melbourne teen arrested over school bomb hoax
The 17-year-old has been charged with 74 offences over a series of school bomb threats across three states. Courtesy Seven News Melbourne.
Up Next
Police describe boy taken from hospital
- Video duration
- 01:49
- Video duration
- 01:49
Police describe boy taken from hospital
Police describe boy taken from hospital
Police provide details of a missing boy taken from a Brisbane hospital.
Up Next
Andrew Chan funeral: self-authored eulogy
- Video duration
- 03:27
- Video duration
- 03:27
Andrew Chan funeral: self-authored eulogy
Andrew Chan funeral: self-authored eulogy
Long-time friend Mark Soper reads out a eulogy Andrew Chan wrote about himself before his execution in Indonesia.
Julie Bishop dragged into expenses scandal
A department of finance report shows that the Foreign Minister claimed almost $3000 to attend a marquee at the Portsea Polo event. Vision courtesy ABC News 24
Instead, Ms Bishop was a late no-show, citing the visit to Australia by Japan's Prime Minister as the reason for her absence.
Ms Bishop had been scheduled to attend as a guest of naming sponsor Alfa Romeo but in the wake of the government expenses scandal, including the fact she billed taxpayers to attend last year's event, she opted not to attend.
Related Content
According to sources, her office notified organisers on Friday night to inform them she would not be attending, citing the visit of Shinzo Abe as the reason.
Ms Bishop's decision not to attend the Portsea Polo came just hours after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced that Health Minister Sussan Ley had resigned from the front bench in the wake of travel entitlements scandal.
On Saturday morning, her office said she had never been a confirmed guest at the polo and had always planned to be in Sydney for Mr Abe's visit.
"The foreign minister is in Sydney attending a number of official events in relation to the visit of Prime Minister Abe and the Japanese delegation," a spokeswoman said.
However several sources told Fairfax Media her attendance had been all but assured earlier in the week.
One of the key public relations companies involved with organising the Portsea Polo guest list confirmed that Ms Bishop was expected to attend.
"Earlier in the week it had been her intention to attend the event," they told Fairfax Media. "She was attending as a guest of one of the key sponsors."
Sources close to the event said that, as of Tuesday night, they were under the strong impression Ms Bishop was due to make an appearance.
That designer label Hugo Boss had been scheduled to dress Ms Bishop for the event also suggested her intention to attend.
At the polo on Saturday, few guests seem to notice Ms Bishop's absence.
Comedian and radio host Mick Molloy said he remembered seeing Ms Bishop at last year's event.
"I saw Julie Bishop here at the polo last year in a golf cart and I suggested to her at the time, 'Is that a government car and are you putting this on the [taxpayers]?'
"It's a good time for politicians because none of us are on air," he said.
The organiser of the Portsea Polo, TLA Worldwide, did not comment on Ms Bishop's non-appearance.
Ms Bishop attended last year with her partner, David Panton, as a guest of Peroni.
With Adam Gartrell