Amanda Rishworth has defended revelations Anthony Albanese received dozens for free Qantas flight upgrades, saying the attack on the Prime Minister is a ‘complete pile on’.
The Social Services Secretary appeared on Nine’s Today Show on Tuesday morning, where the Prime Minister’s relationship with the national airline was put in the spotlight.
Excerpts from a forthcoming book by former Australian Financial Review columnist Joe Aston, The Chairman’s Lounge, list at least 22 free upgrades on economy tickets, dating back to 2009, when Mr Albanese was transport minister under the Rudd government.
In his book, Aston also claims that Mr Albanese personally approached former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce to get dozens of free Qantas flight upgrades, including with an international partner on a trip to Rome.
“I think this has been a big deal for the Prime Minister. I mean, he has publicly stated very, very clearly what he got, as have other MPs,” Ms Rishworth told host Karl Stefanovic.
“And I think the Coalition stack really shows that I think there’s something about not throwing stones when you’re in a glass house.
“We have seen many other MPs announce upgrades, and rightly so, and they should declare them as well. But Peter Dutton has taken upgrades. Bridget McKenzie has taken upgrades.
“You know, this should be declared in the public record.”
Amanda Rishworth has defended revelations that Anthony Albanese received dozens of free Qantas flight upgrades and says the attack on the Prime Minister is a ‘complete pile on’
Stefanovic then asked Ms Rishworth if she had ever called Mr Joyce personally to request an upgrade.
‘Me personally? No, I didn’t call Alan Joyce for an upgrade,” she said.
“I’ve been housebound, I haven’t been that often. I have two young children, so I don’t travel as much as some other people. But no, that’s not something I did.”
Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie said there’s a difference between receiving a gift and putting it on your receipt “and actually going ahead and saying, ‘Listen, mate, ma’am and I are going on holiday abroad, how what about upgrading those gifts? Economy tickets?”,’.
“I don’t know of any other Transport Minister who had a hotline to the CEO of Qantas to request freebies for family holidays,” she said.
Asked whether she thought there should be a Senate inquiry into the matter, Ms McKenzie said “people are right to be furious about this”.
Excerpts from a forthcoming book by former Australian Financial Review columnist Joe Aston, The Chairman’s Lounge, list at least 22 free upgrades on economy tickets, dating back to 2009, when Mr Albanese was Transport Minister under the Rudd government (on the photo shows Anthony Albanese with his partner Jodie Haydon and former Qantas boss Alan Joyce)
Ms Rishworth responded that Labor was the one supporting Qantas workers in terms of layoffs and pay increases.
In his new book, Aston also claimed that shortly after being elected Prime Minister in May 2022, Mr Albanese asked then Qantas CEO Alan Joyce to make his son Nathan, 23, a member of the Chairman’s Lounge, a bonus at the invitation of the airline. .
Mr Albanese defended the arrangement, saying his son became his “plus one” after his marriage to former Labor MP Carmel Tebbutt ended.
But that doesn’t mean his partner, Ms Haydon, is also reportedly a ‘plus one’ for the Lounge.
The book The Chairman’s Lounge also claims that Nathan’s Chairman’s Lounge membership was not listed in Mr Albanese’s register of interests, which records significant gifts to MPs.
Mr Albanese said he had declared “every flight upgrade” he had purchased himself.
‘From time to time, MPs receive upgrades. The important thing is that they are called out. Mine have all been called out. “I note that some of that goes back a long time,” he said.
“They’ve all been explained, and that’s appropriate.”
While he said it was a personal “issue” whether politicians accepted airline benefits, he said his relationship with Mr Joyce was the same as the one he shared with former Virgin Australia boss John Borghetti.