Anthony Albanese met with then Qantas CEO Alan Joyce shortly after the airline urged the government to block a bid by Qatar Airways to expand its services.
The meeting was confirmed in the Prime Minister's diary after it was released following a sixteen-month freedom of information campaign by The Australian Financial Review.
The Prime Minister's office had opposed the diary's publication before ultimately choosing not to file a defense with the Administrative Court of Appeal.
The release of the diary has given rise to this Liberal leader Peter Duton to call on the government to make public what was discussed at the meeting.
A redacted copy of the diary, released by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet on January 3, shows that Mr Albanese hosted Mr Joyce for a half-hour meeting on November 23, 2022.
The date of the meeting was previously detailed in documents filed by Qantas in September 2022 as part of the Qantas cost of living investigation.
The publication of Anthony Albanese's diary has finally confirmed that he met then Qantas chief Alan Joyce shortly after the airline submitted that a bid from rival airline Qatar Airways to expand its local services should be rejected. Mr Albanese is pictured with Mr Joyce
The decision to block Qatar's bid was made by Transport Minister Catherine King on July 10, 2023 and made public just over a week later. A Qantas aircraft is pictured
The meeting took place six weeks after the national carrier submitted at a Transport Ministry consultation on October 14, 2022 that Qatar's bid for additional landing slots, submitted earlier that month, should be rejected.
On Thursday, Dutton slammed the government, saying Albanese should reveal all the facts about the rejection of Qatar's bid.
“I think there are some serious questions that the Prime Minister needs to answer here because the decision has had a direct negative impact on the traveling public,” he told Nine Radio.
“It appears that (Mr Albanese) had a meeting with the CEO, who would certainly have lobbied on behalf of his company on this issue, and the Prime Minister did not want us to know anything about it.”
Mr Albanese has always denied making the decision to block Qatar's application and said he has not received any lobbying on the issue.
A government spokesperson said: 'As the Prime Minister told the House on September 5, “I confirm again that I did not speak to the former CEO of Qantas before a decision was made.”
Instead, the decision to block Qatar's bid was made by Transport Secretary Catherine King on July 10, 2023, and made public just over a week later.
At the time, Mr Dutton accused Mr Albanese of cutting a “cute deal” with Mr Joyce following a decision to limit Qatar Airways' expansion in Australia.
Qatar's request to add 21 flights to the existing 28 was rejected, a move critics said was done to protect Qantas from competition.
Peter Dutton accused Mr Albanese of cutting a “cute deal” with Mr Joyce following a decision to limit Qatar Airways' expansion in Australia. The photo shows the Prime Minister and the then CEO of Qantas shaking hands. Sydney Airport CEO Simon Hickey is also pictured (centre)
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has targeted the close relationship between Anthony Albanese and Alan Joyce (pictured)
“It's inflationary and it's unfair to a lot of Australians who may have worked hard … to travel abroad,” Dutton said.
“Under (this deal) they will pay thousands more for airline tickets.”
Ms King's decision to reject the application sparked a major controversy, fueling claims that the government was stifling competition in the aviation sector and ensuring Qantas retained its share of the Australian market.
A Coalition-led Senate inquiry into the matter, at which Ms King refused to appear, recommended the government immediately review its decision.
In December, the Albanian government approved an application from Turkish Airlines to increase flight capacity to Australia to 35 flights per week, strengthening connections with Europe.
Mr Albanese's close relationship with Mr Joyce previously came under scrutiny when it emerged that the Prime Minister's son Nathan had become a member of Qantas' exclusive Chairman's Lounge.
Appearing before a Senate committee last August, Mr Joyce refused to speak about the Chairman's Lounge when questioned about it.
Members of Parliament, with rare exceptions, are usually given passes to exclusive areas of airports to avoid having to mingle with regular travelers in departure lounges.
But Nathan Albanese and the prime minister's ex-wife, Carmel Tebbutt, a former NSW Labor deputy premier, reportedly received special treatment.
Longtime friends Anthony Albanese (centre) and Alan Joyce (right) were in good spirits as they were pictured on the red carpet at the 100th Qantas Gala Dinner in March. Mr Albanese's partner, Jodie Haydon, pictured left
Photos from the event showed Mr Joyce walking down the red carpet with one arm around the Prime Minister and the other around Mr Albanese's partner Jodie Haydon (pictured)
At the time, Mr Dutton said: 'The relationship between Alan Joyce and Anthony Albanese is well documented.
'Anthony Albanese hasn't yet found a red carpet he doesn't want to trot down with Alan Joyce. That's just the reality of their relationship,” he told the Today show.
Mr Dutton specifically referred to Mr Albanese and Mr Joyce who were pictured cheerfully on the red carpet at the 100th Qantas Gala Dinner in March 2023.
Photos from the event showed Mr Joyce walking down the red carpet with one arm around the Prime Minister and the other around Mr Albanese's partner, Jodie Haydon.