Venice water taxi fee for George Brandis topped $5000

Australian embassy officials booked a luxury water taxi costing more than $5000 to take Attorney-General George Brandis around the canals of Venice during a trip to open a visual arts exhibition in May, it's been reported.

But Senator Brandis' office says the first he knew of the water taxi was when Australia's ambassador to Italy and former South Australian Labor premier Mike Rann turned up in the boat, with his wife, to pick him up, News Corp reported on Wednesday.

The 12-hour water limo ride was commissioned by Australia's embassy in Rome, according to documents obtained under Freedom of Information.

It said it was the only boat left for hire in the entire archipelago.

The water taxi fee of more than $5000 was paid out by the attorney-general's office after being booked by the embassy.