A Labor frontbencher says the government hasn’t gone easy on Qantas just because ministers, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, have received free upgrades and other perks from the airline.
Mr Albanese reportedly made direct calls to former Qantas boss Alan Joyce to request free upgrades on his flights, according to Nine newspapers, as well as receiving dozens more upgrades including while he was the federal transport minister.
Those flights were all declared, and it is commonplace for Qantas to offer perks to politicians through its Chairman’s Lounge program — both the Liberal and Greens leaders Peter Dutton and Adam Bandt have also previously received flight upgrades from economy to business class.
The prime minister has also defended his request for his son Nathan to be included in the Chairman’s Lounge program, saying his son was his “plus one” after the end of his marriage.
Mr Dutton said it was “a bit strange” Mr Albanese reportedly contacted the Qantas boss to request upgrades, and said he had never done so.
“I presume he is going to answer questions about that,” he said.
“There are strange arrangements when you can pick the phone up to the CEO and ask as a transport minister for an upgrade.
“I am not aware of anyone else having done that.”
Peter Dutton says he has never made a call to Alan Joyce requesting an upgrade, but he has declared several free flights courtesy of Hancock Prospecting, whose chair is Gina Rinehart. (YouTube: Hancock Prospecting)
Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce, also a former transport minister, says using a direct line to Alan Joyce to request upgrades for personal trips crossed a line.
“There’s a difference when you solicit it … that’s the one that doesn’t pass the pub test,” Mr Joyce said.
Minister says Qantas has not had an easy ride despite perks
Frontbencher Murray Watt said Nine’s claims Mr Albanese had made requests to be upgraded were “unsourced rumours”.
“I encourage people to look at Anthony Albanese’s record as the transport minister, leader of the opposition and prime minister when it comes to Qantas, where he hasn’t played favourites,” Senator Watt said.
“When he was the transport minister more than a decade ago, when Qantas grounded their fleet and went after unions, Anthony Albanese took Qantas on about that.
“In opposition, when Qantas illegally sacked their workforce despite receiving nearly a billion dollars in JobKeeper, Anthony Albanese and Labor took Qantas on about that … we’ve brought in Same Job, Same Pay laws, which have already helped Qantas labour hire workers get pay rises of more than $30,000 in some cases.”
The government faced claims it had been influenced by Qantas when it made a controversial decision to reject an application by Qatar Airways to expand its services in Australia, even though the expanded service would have brought down then sky-high air fares.
Virgin boss Jane Hrdlicka said she had heard from Transport Minister Catherine King that the allied company’s application was progressing well, but appeared to stall after several meetings between ministers and Qantas.
The prime minister has denied he was lobbied by Qantas to reject Qatar Airways’ application.
