Scott Morrison to attend official state dinner with president Donald Trump, the first PM since 2006 to be invited

All eyes will be on the Rose Garden at the White House when Donald Trump hosts an official state dinner for Prime Minister Scott Morrison. It will be the first time an Australian PM has been asked to attend a state dinner since John Howard was hosted by George W. Bush in 2006. And it’s only the second such affair under the Trump presidency. The President and first lady will greet the Morrisons about 7am today, WA time. The official dinner will kick off about an hour later and will be held in the stunning Rose Garden just off the Oval Office. Gold-woven baskets filled with yellow garden roses and golden wattle will be placed around the rose garden to signify the combined friendship and long-lasting relationship between the US and Australia. Golden champagne grapes will be placed on top of the tables, highlighting the richness of both countries’ wine industries. Guests, which include a mix of Australian and American business and political heavyweights, will dine on a first course of sunchoke ravioli with reggiano cream and shaved summer vegetables. the main course will be dover sole with parsley crisps, zucchini squash blossoms, fennel mousseline and baby garlic rouille. Dessert will be lady apple tart with calvados ice cream. Wine options will be sauvignon blanc, pinot noir and a J Demi-Sec NV for dessert. The dinner is expected to last about two hours and guests include Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes, mining magnates Gina Rinehart and Andrew Forrest and Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan.