By Renju Jose
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday defended free flight upgrades he received from Qantas following allegations he had liaised directly with the national carrier’s former CEO to get him bumped up to business class.
Albanese made several direct phone calls to former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce before becoming prime minister, and got his tickets upgraded on 22 flights between 2009 and 2019, Australian media reported, citing excerpts in a new book by journalist Joe Aston.
Albanese, who was the federal transport minister from 2007 to 2013, downplayed the claims, saying he had declared all flight upgrades he received.
“I have been completely transparent about this. All of my flights have been declared in an appropriate way,” Albanese told reporters.
“In my time in public life, I have acted with integrity, I have acted in a way that is entirely appropriate and I have declared in accordance with the rules.”
Albanese said he held only official talks with Joyce, adding some upgrades he received were paid for by the Labor party.
Australian politicians getting free upgrades on flights is not rare though they are obliged to declare such gifts and many are offered membership to luxury lounges.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton said on Monday it would be “a strange arrangement” if Albanese, while managing the transport ministry, could directly contact Qantas seeking ticket upgrades.
“I’m not aware of anyone else having done it,” Dutton said during a media briefing.
Qantas did not immediately respond to a Reuters request seeking comments.
Last year, the Albanese-led centre-left Labor government faced allegations of favouring Qantas by blocking requests by Qatar Airways to increase its flights to Australia.
The government said invasive body searches of female passengers, including five Australian women, at Qatar’s airport in 2020 was a factor, and Albanese told parliament he received no lobbying from Qantas.
The allegations come as Albanese struggles with low voter approval ratings amid higher living costs and mortgage rates.
A Newspoll survey conducted for The Australian newspaper this month showed Australia’s opposition Liberal-National coalition pulling ahead of the Labor government for the first time since the May 2022 election, while Albanese’s ratings fell to the lowest levels.
(Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
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