Anthony Albanese contacted a Qantas executive to receive free flight upgrades instead of former CEO Alan Joyce, according to explosive new allegations, which the Prime Minister denies are true.
Sky News presenter Sharri Markson made the claims on Wednesday as the Prime Minister issued his first categorical denial. He contacted Mr Joyce or someone at Qantas directly to ask for the benefits.
Markson claimed that Andrew Parker, who oversaw Qantas’ government and international affairs, personally handled Mr Albanese’s flight upgrades to business class during his long political career, including as Transport Minister.
Mr Parker held his senior role at Qantas between May 2013 and July 2021, overlapping with Mr Albanese’s time as Transport Minister between December 2007 and September 2013.
Mr Albanese’s relationship with Mr Parker was close enough that he attended a housewarming party hosted by the former Qantas employee at a warehouse in Sydney’s inner suburb of Annandale.
Sky News reported that there was even a fake plaque on Mr Parker’s house saying it was officially opened by Mr Albanese.
Mr Parker’s LinkedIn page shows a post from a month ago with a photo of him standing next to Mr Albanese at the opening of Street Side Medics’ new clinic in Melbourne about seven months ago.
From 2017 to 2021, Mr Parker was also director of Airlines for Australia and New Zealand, a lobby group representing the airline alongside Jetstar, Virgin Australia, Rex and Air New Zealand.
A photo on the LinkedIn page of former Qantas executive Andrew Parker (far right) shows him at a charity event with the Prime Minister
The group “advocates on important public policy issues such as airport operations and efficient access to domestic airport infrastructure,” according to its website.
Daily Mail Australia does not suggest there has been any wrongdoing on Mr Parker’s part.
Meanwhile, Mr Albanese has now completely denied reports that he had requested Qantas flight upgrades from Mr Joyce, telling Sydney’s 2GB radio that he had also not texted or texted Joyce, the airline’s boss emailed for an upgrade, and also didn’t request upgrades from anyone else at Qantas.
2GB presenter Ben Fordham said on Thursday that he had been in contact with the Albanians last night to ‘fill in some gaps’ in his statement.
Sky News presenter Sharri Markson claims Mr Albanese was close enough to Mr Parker (pictured) to attend his housewarming party
Fordham read the following conversation.
Fordham: “Did you ever text Alan Joyce about flight upgrades?”
Albanian: ‘No.’
Fordham: “Did you ever email Alan Joyce about flight upgrades?”
Albanian: ‘No.’
Fordham: ‘Have you ever shared flights or travel plans with Alan Joyce without specifically asking for an upgrade?’
Albanian: ‘No.’
Fordham: Was there anyone else at Qantas with whom you sought upgrades or shared your travel plans?
Albanian: ‘No.’
Fordham went on to say that the Prime Minister said he would “just book the economy flights and get an upgrade to the front of the plane, and he didn’t ask for anything.”
Mr Parker’s (pictured right) job at Qantas, where he managed government relations, overlapped with Mr Albanese’s time as Transport Minister
Asked why he waited so long to respond to the allegations, with previous statements largely dodging questions about whether he had contacted Mr Joyce, Mr Albanese told Fordham it had taken “a number of days to get all his details to take’.
If Mr Albanese used private channels to request flight upgrades from Qantas, he may have breached the country’s strict ministerial code of conduct which bans ministers from seeking “any advantage”.
Former AFR journalist Joe Aston claimed Albanese had received at least 22 flight upgrades from the national carrier, some of which took place when he was Transport Minister or Shadow Transport Minister.
In his book, The Chairman’s Lounge, Aston wrote that the Prime Minister would “contact Joyce directly” to request the upgrades.
According to unnamed Qantas ‘insiders’, 11 of the 22 flights for which Mr Albanese received upgrades were ‘privately funded’ and included overseas trips to Rome, London, Los Angeles and Honolulu.
The book also revealed that Jodie Haydon, Mr Albanese’s partner, did not just have a ‘plus one’ Chairman’s Lounge membership.
Mr Albanese previously insisted that all upgrades were “properly signposted”.
The Prime Minister’s office, Mr Parker and Qantas have been contacted for comment.