No flies on Alex as Tartan Week goes walkabout

The Scottish Government has revealed it wants to create a Tartan Week Down Under, modelled on the long-running annual celebration of all things Caledonian in New York.

Alex Salmond and other ministers are preparing to jet off to the United States for a week of festivities that culminates with a massive parade of pipers through the centre of New York City.

But now Scotland on Sunday can reveal that the SNP administration wants to launch a similar venture in Australia and New Zealand.

Linda Fabiani, the culture minister, said the Government would look at the possibility of boomeranging a taste of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness to the land that gave us Crocodile Dundee.

The MSP, whose brief also includes responsibility for relations with Europe and the rest of the world, said: "Part of my job is the promotion of Scotland worldwide and establishing our place as a nation on the global stage.

"There is a growing recognition that the Scottish diaspora in Australia and New Zealand is huge and they are extremely important markets for Scotland.

"I am particularly keen to strengthen links with these two countries – as we are already doing with the US and Canada.

"If there is a real demand for it to happen, then we could end up with a Scotland Week in Australia. It could only be good for Scotland."

Fabiani said the idea would be considered as part of the nationalist administration's international strategy, which will be officially launched later this year.

Spike Allibone of event management firm Night Train Productions predicted the Scottish-Australian celebration could become a major success if it was handled correctly.

He said: "It is difficult to get rid of the image of poor Jack McConnell turning up to Tartan Week in New York in his mini kilt.

"If the Government are serious about establishing Scotland Week in Australia then they need to ensure that ministers keep a low profile.

"For business negotiations behind the scenes politicians are essential, but if you genuinely want to engage with the people of Australian and New Zealand then it would be infinitely better to have some well-known Scottish celebrities as the public face of the event."

A host of Scottish stars from actors James McAvoy and Ashley Jensen to musicians such as Franz Ferdinand, KT Tunstall and Sandi Thom – whose single 'I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker' topped the Australian charts for a record 12 weeks – have established huge international reputations in recent years.

Allibone, whose company has been involved in staging events for Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations, added: "The numbers of Scots in Australia and New Zealand are absolutely massive and there may even be more Scots living over there then there are in Scotland itself."

Malcolm Massie of the Scotch College in Adelaide, which promotes all aspects of Celtic culture, was delighted by the prospect of seeing an official Scotland Week established.

He said: "The notions of expanding the close links that exist between Scotland and Australia is an excellent one.

"South Australia was largely settled by Scots and this is reflected in towns and locations like Glen Osmond, Burnside, Ardrossan, St Kilda, Glenelg and Mount Crawford. The suburb of Elizabeth in Adelaide is dominated by Scots who emigrated in the 1950s, 60s and 70s."

Massie said the framework for a major event was already in place. "There are parades which take place in various places for Burns's birthday on January 25 and for International Tartan Day which we celebrate in June."

Christopher Wade, the director of the British Council Australia, which sponsors a host of cultural events, gave his support to the idea.

He said: "We are always happy to explore ways of helping to strengthen the relationship between Scotland and Australia."

British High Commissioner in Australia Helen Liddell, the former Labour Scottish Secretary, who was known as the "Nat basher in chief" for her antipathy towards the SNP, was unavailable for comment.

Fabiani will travel to North America with the First Minister, enterprise, energy and tourism minister Jim Mather and Holyrood's Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson for a slimmed-down, "more strategic" Scotland Week.

The event was renamed after it emerged that most Americans had no idea what tartan was – they know it as plaid – and did not associate it with Scotland.

The budget has been reduced from £800,000 to around £400,000 and an emphasis has been shifted away from celebrity events and partying towards meetings with business leaders and presentations at prestigious universities.

"It is very sad that most Americans have some knowledge about Scotland's history, but some have very little idea about modern contemporary Scotland," Fabiani said.

"I wasn't at the previous events so I don't really know if there was too much emphasis on shortbread and twee aspects of Scottishness.

"But I'm not convinced that we saw any great results being achieved at previous Tartan Weeks. I'm hoping that this time we can turn that around and create a platform to build on in future years."

The McWizards of Oz

Scots emigrated Down Under in huge numbers and this is recognised by the fact that there are more statues of Robert Burns in Australia than of any other individual – with the sole exception of Queen Victoria.

No fewer than three of Australia's six founding colonial governors were Scots: Lachlan Macquarie, John Hunter and Sir Thomas Brisbane.

Macquarie is credited with laying the foundations of a new nation after he took control of New South Wales in 1810 following an earlier rebellion against Governor Bligh (better known as the captain who suffered the infamous Mutiny on the Bounty).

Macquarie arrived with a complete Highland regiment and is hailed as "the greatest governor Australia has known" after turning a fetid penal colony into a thriving community.

Two towns, three rivers, two harbours, two capes, a lake, an island, a university and a hospital are all named in honour of the colonial Scots governor.

Three early Australian prime ministers and at least 25 state premiers were born north of the border – while in 1891 exiled Scots socialists played a key role in founding the Australian Labour Party, which currently governs the country.

Glaswegian Peter Dodds McCormick provided Aussies with both their official and unofficial national anthems in 'Advance Australia Fair' and 'Waltzing Matilda'. The legendary Australian soprano Dame Nellie Melba was originally named Helen Mitchell and has Scottish roots.