Dutton admits asking rich-lister for flights

Peter Dutton has confirmed his office reached out to mining billionaire Gina Rinehart to use a private plane to fly from regional Queensland to Sydney, contradicting a previous answer.

Furore over claims Anthony Albanese personally solicited flight upgrade freebies from ex-Qantas boss Alan Joyce, has turned to the Coalition. The Prime Minister said he had not made any such requests.

On Tuesday, the Opposition Leader told journalists neither he nor his office had approached Ms Rinehart for a private flight taken in November 2022, but he backflipped on his answer two days later.

Mr Dutton said that at the time he was travelling to Rockhampton and needed to travel to Sydney for a Bali memorial ceremony and was unable to source a commercial flight, which would then be needed to take him to Mackay.

“We asked the government for a RAAF flight, they played games and they didn’t offer that flight, and at that point I think we had a charter estimate, which was about $40,000 to fly from Rockhampton to Sydney and then back to Mackay,” he said.

“I thought that was very expensive and the cheaper option for the taxpayer was for my office to speak to Mrs Rinehart’s office, as to whether the plane might be available.”

He took a parting shot at Mr Albanese stating: “That was at zero cost to the taxpayer.”

“I don’t think you get a clearer statement as that from the Prime Minister, but that’s what happened.”

When asked whether he saw “an issue” with him accepting a private plane flight from the billionaire, he said: “No, I can’t. I’m sorry”.

Nationals senator and Coalition spokeswoman for transport Bridget McKenzie has also announced a in-depth audit to ensure she has declared every flight upgrade, which included contacting the bosses of Qantas and Virgin for confirmation.

She’s promised to declare any discrepancies, “if there are any”.

“I think the public deserves us to be as comprehensive and as accurate as possible so they can ascertain confidence and interest and influence,” she told Sky.

“I think the only appropriate thing for me to have done was to actually get that because as I go through the records.”