Penny Wong’s London speech about UK’s colonial history caused no ‘diplomatic tension’

Penny Wong meets with Britain's foreign secretary James Cleverly (left) and defence secretary Ben Wallace in Portsmouth after making a speech about colonialism in London. Photograph: WPA/Getty Images

The Australian foreign affairs minister’s speech in London about Britain’s colonial history caused “no sense of discomfort or diplomatic tension” with the UK, a senior official has declared.

The Coalition opposition used a committee hearing in Canberra on Thursday to suggest that Penny Wong’s remarks caused an unnecessary “distraction” during annual high-level talks between Australia and the UK.