Attorney-General George Brandis racked up a $1100 dinner bill on taxpayers during a visit to London this year, just a month before his government called on the poor to accept budget cuts and new taxes to help pay off the deficit.

Labor said the cost was obscene but the Attorney-General's office said the dinner was usual practice, because Senator Brandis was hosting "important stakeholders".

Attorney-General George Brandis's office said an expensive dinner on taxpayers during a visit to London was usual practice. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

A freedom of information request lodged by the Labor Party has revealed Senator Brandis opted for Australian wine on the night of April 4 when he dined with a group of senior British arts representatives at the Corinthia Hotel's fine-dining Massimo Restaurant.

The group ordered three bottles of 2010 vintage Tyrrell's Semillon-Sauvignon and supped on a bottle of upmarket Italian Vin Santo del Chianti Bonacchi dessert wine, as well as glasses of Laurent-Perrier Champagne.