PM branded ‘out of touch’ amid freebie drama

Anthony Albanese has been described as “naive” and “out of touch” for accepting free flight upgrades amid calls for the national anti-corruption watchdog to step in to issue “guidance” to politicians who appear to believe the perks on the Qantas ‘gravy plane’ is simply part of high office.

The Prime Minister has been accused of “gold-plating” private holidays with flight upgrade freebies when he was Transport Minister.

But he maintains the upgrades are fine because they are not against the law and were declared on the parliamentary register of interests.

The Coalition is now considering asking the Senate to establish a new inquiry to order former Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce to explain whether Mr Albanese ­solicited free upgrades.

But Geoffrey Watson, a director of the Centre for Public Integrity and a former counsel assisting to the NSW anti-corruption body ICAC, has told news.com.au that the astonishing thing about the revelations of the freebies provided by Qantas to the PM and other politicians is that some MPs don’t seem to grasp what the issue is in terms of integrity.

“I think it’s really incredible. This is what they regard as being acceptable conduct. They’re out of touch,” Mr Watson said.

“Politicians seem to be saying this sort of conduct is acceptable because both sides do it. Neither side should be doing it.

“Part of the problem is it’s not sufficient to make a disclosure on the register.

“Why do you think Qantas use these upgrades? What are they trying to do?

“Mr Joyce, has been explicit that membership of the Chairman’s Lounge is a commercial gesture by Qantas to create commercial networks and by providing them routinely to powerful politicians, the only commercial interests have favourable political decisions.”

Powerful people being ‘manipulated’

Mr Watson said it was astonishing that politicians couldn’t see what the problem was with the conduct.

“I’m surprised and disappointed that politicians and powerful people allow them to be manipulated by such an obvious tactic,” he said.

“How naive are they, and who reaps the benefit of it?”

Author Joe Aston, a former columnist with the Australian Financial Review writes in his new book ‘The Chairman’s Lounge’ that Mr Albanese received tens of thousands of dollars worth of free flights from Qantas through a direct communication line with former CEO Alan Joyce.

Aston said it was clear the public was fed up with the freebies.

“If Anthony Albanese had to repay all of the free tickets he’d taken as a politician, he’d have to file for personal bankruptcy,” Aston quipped – although that seems highly unlikely given he has a $6 million plus personal property portfolio.

“And look, that doesn’t make Albo Robinson Crusoe either. It’s just such a common thing. And I think politicians need to realise that Australians have had enough.”

Despite the Prime Minister’s insistence that the upgrades were declared as required – although the parliamentary register does not require an exact estimate of the cash value of the upgrades – Barnaby Joyce has warned that if he personally solicited the freebies that puts it in a whole new category.

Calls for NACC to issue ‘guidance’

Mr Watson said it might be prudent to get the national anti-corruption commission to issue guidance.

“Perhaps the NACC should offer some guidance. It’s got an advisory, educational role as well,” he said.

“You can just brush this aside by saying it’s perfectly okay. I think you should tell us what’s going on. Mr Joyce should start telling us about his side of the conversation.”

PM accused of having hotline to Qantas CEO

Liberal frontbencher Bridget McKenzie said it was clear there was “a serious problem”.

“The problem is that I don’t know of another transport minister who had a hotline to the CEO of Qantas to request freebies for family holidays,” she said.

“That’s actually what we’re dealing with here.”

“There’s a difference from receiving a gift and declaring it on your register to actually getting on the blower and saying, ‘Listen, mate, the missus and I are going overseas on a holiday. How about upgrading those economy tickets?’” Senator McKenzie said.

Senator McKenzie’s demand for an inquiry into Mr Albanese’ relationship with Mr Joyce follows claims in ‘The Chairman’s Lounge’ by former Australian Financial Review columnist Joe Aston.

Aston wrote that Mr Albanese personally solicited the free flights from Mr Joyce and got 22 free upgrades.

Government frontbencher Chris Bowen has accused the Coalition of playing politics amid questions over the revelations.

“Peter Dutton can go down this rabbit hole if he wants,” Mr Bowen said.

“I think the Australian people have different priorities to Peter Dutton.”

Calls for politicians to publish diaries

Independent MP Helen Haines told ABC RN Breakfast said ministerial diaries should be open to the public, as has been legislated in Queensland, Victoria and NSW.

“We don’t know who’s meeting with decision-makers behind closed doors in parliamentary offices. I think we need to do much better on that,” Haines said.

“I think [opening diaries] would help with this. I think it would also take away accusations and allegations if this was much clearer, the whole public would see who’s meeting decision-makers who they are, and then trace any other influence that may be happening in that regard.

“I think it is really important that whatever gift that we may receive that we document and we reflect really closely on whether any gifts are in fact influencing any decisions.”