By Amy Remeikis
George Brandis has again been forced to deny he is London-bound, dismissing claims he will leave the government mid-year as "a very, very old piece of gossip".
But some colleagues are still discussing the move and believe Senator Brandis is headed to Australia House, despite the Attorney-General's public denials.
Senator Brandis was first tipped to replace Alexander Downer as Australia's High Commissioner to Britain last year, amid a public conflict with former solicitor-general Justin Gleeson.
Speaking to Sky News from New York, Senator Brandis scoffed when asked about his plans.
The National Program for Excellence in the Arts, established under George Brandis, was labelled a "slush fund".Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
"That is a very, very old piece of gossip, that was reported last year," he said.
"It was wrong then, it is no more correct this year than it was when it was wrong last year."
But asked if he would take the job if it was offered, Senator Brandis said: "I have nothing to add".
The London rumour is not the only 2016 hangover Senator Brandis has been forced to confront, with the release of his diary - demanded by Labor to disprove his claim he met with community legal sector groups before cutting the sector's budget - still an ongoing saga.
The Federal Court ruled parts of the diary was to be released six months ago, but the request has still not been met.
Labor frontbencher Mark Dreyfus has threatened to take Senator Brandis back to court, but the Attorney-General said it "is being processed and it will be released".
"Now, an honest man, could not possibly say, as Mr Dreyfus has said, that I am refusing to release the diary, when he has been told that it is being processed, and after that process and the appropriate redactions are made, it will be released," he said.
"He knows that. He claims the opposite because he is a person who lies freely."
Senator Brandis became Attorney-General when Tony Abbott won government in 2013. He was elected to the Senate in 2000.