Sed accumsan leo in mauris rhoncus volutpat.
Sed magna sapien, euismod convallis sagittis quis, varius sit amet mauris. Vivamus id quam congue venenatis et at lorem. Ut ullamcorper odio id metus eleifend tincidunt. Proin ante arcu, aliquam nec rhoncus sit amet, consequat vitae lorem. Ellentesque mollis laoreet laoreet. Nulla ut nulla sed mauris tempor pulvinar. Morbi quis nulla sit amet mi vestibulum vehicula. Pellentesque lectus metus, gravida ac sollicitudin at, ornare vel justo. Sed id arcu ac ligula malesuada accumsan. Vivamus risus ipsum, vestibulum ut pellentesque iaculis, tempus vitae eros.
Aliquam in orci non ipsum eleifend scelerisque ac id urna. Etiam tristique egestas mauris eu fringilla. Phasellus ac neque a orci mattis tincidunt eget eget ante. Maecenas placerat sapien quis purus scelerisque sed porta urna vehicula. Sed eros turpis, bibendum non ullamcorper at, euismod in nulla. Morbi eleifend sodales risus. Maecenas eu nisl ut ante dictum scelerisque. Quisque quis tempus metus. Donec sit amet diam leo, non fermentum leo. Quisque eget nulla tortor, sed vestibulum nisl.
Anthony Albanese has tried to claim his relationship
with Alan Joyce was a strictly professional one
between a Prime Minister and a corporate titan, as he battles claims the Qantas boss was his 'personal travel agent' for free flights and upgrades.
However that characterization of the relationship was at
odds with that made by Mr Joyce, who said he was 'good mates'
with Mr Albanese and had been 'for years'.
In the wake of the explosive claims that the Prime
Minister had Mr Joyce arrange free tickets and
upgrades, Mr Albanese distanced himself from the Qantas chief.
When asked about about their relationship on Sunday Mr Albanese implied it was purely in a professional capacity, having
been Transport Minister and shadow transport spokesperson before becoming Prime Minister.
'He (Joyce) was the CEO of the national airline ... I had the same
relationship with him that I have with John Borghetti as the CEO of Virgin,' Mr Albanese said.
That assessment was at odds with the many photos showing Mr Albanese and Mr Joyce apparently
greatly enjoying each other's company.
Mr Albanese and Mr Joyce were pictured in high spirits on the red carpet at the Qantas
100th Gala Dinner in March last year.
In photos from the event, Mr Joyce proudly walks the red carpet with one arm around the prime minister
and the other around Mr Albanese's partner, Jodie Haydon.
Just five months later, in August, a smiling Mr Albanese attended Qantas's unveiling of
it's special 'Yes 23' emblazoned airplanes for the Voice referendum.
Former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce jovially walked the red carpet with one arm around the prime minister and the other around his
partner, Jodie Haydon for a special anniversary event last year
Mr Joyce was seen touching Mr Albanese's arm, with the PM bursting
into laughter.
Even when Scott Morrison was PM, Mr Joyce enjoyed an apparently close relationship
with Mr Albanese as the pair stood close together
at the launch of the Qantas' landmark Perth to London flight in March,
2018.
During a Senate hearing in September 2023, Mr Joyce said he had been 'friends
for years' with Mr Albanese.
Asked about why he gifted Mr Albanese's son Nathan a membership to the prestigious and exclusive Chairman's Lounge Mr Joyce refused to confirm or
deny but talked up his relationship with the Prime Minister.
'I've been good mates with Albo for some time,' Mr
Joyce said.
However, the then Qantas CEO refused to say whether he lobbied the Prime Minister on the controversial decision to lock competitor Qatar
Airways out of domestic routes.
It has since emerged in a new book about Qantas, The Chairman's Lounge,
by former Australian Financial Review columnist Joe Aston that
Ms Haydon is also a Chairman's Lounge member.
Mr Albanese and Mr Joyce also appeared to greatly enjoying each other's company at a Qantas
event in August last year
Read More
Anthony Albanese fires up and launches a brutal personal attack
on book author
Reports have emerged in a new book Mr Albanese received 22 upgrades from economy from Qantas and he would liaise personally with the former airline boss for them.
Aston also alleged Mr Albanese directly contacted Mr Joyce while in his various parliamentary jobs to ask for special upgrades for
himself or his family.
According to unnamed Qantas 'insiders' 11 of the 22 flights Mr Albanese received upgrades for were 'privately funded' and included overseas trips to Rome, London, Los Angeles and Honolulu, with some being for holidays.
Mr Albanese insisted on Tuesday that the London flights was for work purposes and all were 'declared
in the appropriate way'.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has leapt on the
accusations describing Mr Albanese as being the
'best friend' of Mr Joyce.
Mr Dutton told Sky News on Monday night it was 'strange'
Mr Albanese had directly contacted Mr Joyce to request upgrades while holding a regulatory position in the transport sector.
'If you're the Transport Minister and you're
picking up the phone to one of the most important stakeholders
in the portfolio asking for a free upgrade, then again, I think the
Prime Minister would be able to answer those questions more effectively than anyone else because I'm not
aware of anyone else having done it,' Mr Dutton said.
It has since emerged that Ms Haydon also has membership of the Qantas Chairman's Lounge
The Prime Minister denied frequently asking Mr Joyce for upgrades on Tuesday at
press conference in the NSW city of Newcastle.
'The only discussions that I can recall with Alan Joyce
certainly were not discussed through calls - we discussed the first
flight from Australia to Dubai on the A380,' he said.
'I've declared everything in accordance with all of the rules.'
Aston was asked on Monday night by ABC interviewer Sarah Ferguson about how confident he was that Mr Albanese had made calls personally to Mr Joyce for
upgrades.
'I am very comfortable with my sourcing,' Aston said.
Asked whether he thought Mr Albanese had been influenced by
Mr Joyce's lobbying to block UAE airline Qatar domestically Aston said it
was 'implausible' to think that the Prime Minister's office
had nothing to do with the decision.
Mr Albanese's son Nathan, 24, has reportedly also been granted access to the Qantas Chairman's
Lounge (pictured, Mr Albanese and son Nathan in May, 2022)
'It's very hard to imagine a decision of any political sensitivity in the Albanese
government that would not go through the Prime Minister's office,' Aston replied.
He noted the opening up of the Australian domestic market Qatar had seemingly been sailing
through with Transport Minister Catherine King speaking warmly
about the proposal until 'everything changed' to stop it dead in tracks.
Ms King repeatedly denied in parliament the decision to block Qatar was due
to Qantas lobbying her or any Labor colleagues.
Despite Mr Albanese claiming he declared every upgrade received from Qantas the
Australian Financial Review reported on Tuesday that
he failed to do for his former wife Carmel
Tebbutt when the two traveled together.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has questioned the alleged personal
requests Mr Albanese made to Mr Joyce while in his various parliamentary jobs
Even when Scott Morrison was prime minister, Mr Joyce appeared to have a close
relationship with Mr Albanese (the pair are pictured at
an event in 2019)
Sky New host Sharri Markson on Monday night labeled Mr Joyce as 'basically Albanese's personal travel agent.'
'This is all a question of integrity. Most Australians
struggle to afford even an economy airfare. They'd never be able to afford the luxury of business class.
It's out of our reach,' she said.
'Can Albanese truly be impartial when it comes to making
decisions about Qantas when he's been getting tens of thousands of dollars worth
of free upgrades to business class? The revelations puts the decision he
made as transport minister and prime minister under a cloud.
'Aside from the integrity issues, this revelation is also politically lethal.
Albanese took care to curate a self-image of a housing commission boy who made it.
But now the perception is cementing of a long-term pollie
enjoying the perks of public office.'
Another awkward paradox of Mr Albanese's apparent close
relationship with Mr Joyce is that the Labor leader in a trade unionist
advocate while Qantas attempted to break the power of the Transport Workers Union by sacking
1700 staff during Covid.
The sacking has since been ruled illegal by
Federal Court in a case brought by the union with Qantas facing possible hundreds
of thousands in compensation payouts.
The friendship however did find one perhaps unlikely defender in semi-retired 3AW radio star Neil Mitchell.
'Quick test: upgrade Albo is a bad look,' Mitchell
wrote on X.
'But does anybody believe he was seriously compromised by having Alan Joyce as a bestie?
Time to rewrite rules governing politicians.'
WHAT IS THE QANTAS CHAIRMAN'S CLUB?
The Qantas Chairman's Lounge is an invitation-only club approved by the company chairman, with the
guest list a closely-guarded secret.
It has been dubbed ¿the most exclusive club in the country¿ and comes with
a distinct black card.
Members include senior-ranking MPs including
ministers, state premiers and the Prime Minister, leaders of major unions and sporting groups, Qantas ambassadors,
selected A-list celebrities, major corporate figures and
high-profile media personalities.
The clubs can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide but are not signed,
you have to know where to look.
Inside you will find expensive wood and brass furnishings, wool
carpet and marble flooring all bathed in natural light.
Members enjoy fine à la carte dining with a complimentary premium
array of beers, spirits and Australian wines.
Wine bottles are often given as departing gift
Facilities may also include spas, showers and
an assortment of books and magazines.
Members may bring in two guests at a time.
Lounge attendants personally alert you when your flight is to board and your personal preferences are
logged for each flight. Membership also entitles you to first-class facilities
at Qantas partner airlines.
free upgrades where they are available and a hotline to Qantas's customer
service for any and all travel needs.
Source: Executive Traveller
LondonAnthony AlbaneseQantas