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
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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
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