Exclusive Qantas perk given to NACC bosses
Written by admin on October 30, 2024
The senior leadership of the national anti-corruption probe have all been given access to Qantas’s exclusive Chairman’s Lounge.
The revelation follows the Coalition’s calls for Anthony Albanese to refer himself to the National Anti-Corruption Commission over whether his longstanding relationship with former Qantas boss Alan Joyce influenced his decisions, namely Labor’s decision to block Qatar from operating extra flights in Australia.
The NACC’s gift and disclosure logs reveal Commissioner Paul Brerton was gifted access in October 2023, as did chief executive Philip Reed and deputy commissioner Jaala Hinchcliffe.
Deputy commissioners Ben Gauntlett and Kylie Kilgour were both given access on February 2 this year.
Deputy commissioner Nicole Rose maintained her membership from her previous role as the boss of the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, and also has access to the Virgin Beyond Membership.
Entry into the airport suite is strictly invite-only and gives attendees access to fine dining options and free flight upgrades.
Mr Albanese’s relationship with Mr Joyce has been thrust into the spotlight after claims the Prime Minister personally solicited flight upgrades on personal trips from Mr Joyce, dating back to his role as Transport Minister under the Rudd government.
While Mr Albanese has maintained he’s followed protocol and disclosed his flight upgrades, he has yet to address whether these were obtained through direct conversations with the ex aviation boss.
On Thursday, Peter Dutton joined several Coalition figures in demanding Mr Albanese clarifying whether his “friendship” with Mr Joyce influenced Labor’s Qatar decision.
“What we do know is that the Prime Minister had a very significant and now declared personal friendship with the CEO of Qantas, who ultimately was the beneficiary of the decision taken by the Prime Minister,” said the Opposition Leader.
“And again … the Prime Minister has to answer that question, as he does the first question … did he pick the phone up to Alan Joyce and ask for the free upgrades or not?
“It’s a pretty simple question to answer.”
Opposition senate leader Simon Birmingham said Mr Albanese needed to confirm he did not “exercise his prime ministerial authority … to protect Qantas” that meant “Australian aviation customers were given less choice and greater costs”.
“If you’re having a debate about indeed the influence, it is also whether that influence was used and exerted by the Prime Minister in terms of protecting, potentially, Qantas’ interests and he’s never given a straight answer on that,” he told Sky.
“That’s really where he should be pressed to give a direct answer. Did he ever actually act, as prime minister, recently on behalf of Qantas?”
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