‘Massive sook-up’: PM compares treatment to Rudd, Gillard over Qantas saga

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has moved to calm ministerial colleagues about the Qantas flights saga, insisting at a meeting of his entire ministry on Wednesday that he has his house in order and is the victim of an unfair media campaign.

As the political fight over MPs’ travel entitlements deepened, pressure grew on Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and other Coalition MPs over their records, with Dutton confirming his office had asked mining magnate Gina Rinehart’s team for use of her private jet to fly from Queensland to Sydney and back in 2022 for a Bali bombing memorial.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has denied he ever texted, emailed or called Qantas CEO Alan Joyce about flight upgrades.Credit: Steven Siewert

Political staffers from the major parties have been combing through the travel declarations of their opponents to highlight incorrect or incomplete entries, underscoring the descent into trench warfare over the first expenses scandal of this term of parliament.

During the scheduled meeting of the Albanese ministry in Melbourne on Wednesday, an under-pressure prime minister said Labor leaders were held to a higher standard by the press than Liberals, according to attendees who spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was confidential.

Albanese told his ministers that expenses scandals usually ran in the media for days, with mudslinging on both sides, before subsiding and that he was subject to an exaggerated media attack as tabloid newspapers showed him in Qantas pyjamas on their front pages.

“The same thing happened to Kevin [Rudd], the same thing to Julia [Gillard], then Bill [Shorten], now me,” one MP who was present recalled the prime minister saying.

But one person in attendance described Albanese’s speech as a “massive sook-up”, and said it was another example of his office failing to immediately close down a damaging story.

Another MP defended the leader, saying his explanation was “stoic” and fact-based and that he had highlighted the unique intensity of media criticism of Labor figures. Albanese cited controversies such as the trade union royal commission that targeted former Labor leader Bill Shorten.

Albanese assured MPs his office had thoroughly checked his records hours before it released a statement on Wednesday afternoon denying he had phoned former Qantas boss Alan Joyce to seek free upgrades on flights.

While ministerial meetings are supposed to remain confidential, the fact that Albanese complained at length to his colleagues about his treatment by the media is the latest in a series of leaks to this masthead, following revelations about Labor’s handling of proposed questions for the next census, possible changes to negative gearing and concerns about how the powerful expenditure review committee of cabinet was functioning.

Dutton confirmed that he asked his staff to contact Rinehart’s office to gain flights on her company’s private jet so he could travel to regional Queensland because the government had denied his request for a RAAF jet.

The disclosures were made appropriately at the time but the connection between Dutton and Rinehart will raise questions about the political influence of Australia’s richest woman, who supports the opposition’s policies on mining approvals, nuclear energy and industrial relations. Dutton said in September he would be the “best friend” of the mining sector.

“We had a charter estimate, which was about $40,000 to fly from Rockhampton to Sydney and then back to Mackay,” Dutton said at a press conference in Perth.

“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. That was at zero cost to the taxpayer.”

Asked if he could see there was an issue with having a private jet on call from a billionaire, Dutton said: “No, I can’t. I’m sorry”, while dismissing the perception that he might owe her favours.

He emphasised the difference between his actions and the allegations against Albanese, saying he was only travelling for work and did not seek upgrades from a company that he was responsible for regulating.

“I wasn’t the transport minister asking the CEO of a company for an upgrade.”

But Shorten, now government services minister, seized on Dutton’s comments to argue the attacks over flight upgrades had rebounded on Dutton, and Labor’s Andrew Charlton described it as Dutton’s “Godwin Grech” moment in reference to a Turnbull-era saga.

“The Liberals have been holding themselves out to be pretty pure and pretty holier than thou, but then it turns out they’ve got problems,” he said.

“I think the point here is that the Liberals got on their high horse, and they’ve been throwing a lot of mud, but I think what’s ended up is they’ve ended up with most of it on their own face.”

After Albanese on Wednesday categorically denied calling Joyce to seek upgrades, 2GB presenter Ben Fordham on Thursday read out further denials from the prime minister, including that Albanese had not texted or emailed Joyce about flight upgrades, or shared travel plans with the former Qantas chief executive or other executives at Qantas.

“Over 30 years, there could have been a mistake, but we’ve gone through the records and there are none,” Albanese said, according to Fordham.

Anthony Albanese’s exchange with Ben Fordham

Fordham: Did you ever text Alan Joyce about flight upgrades?

Albanese: No.

Fordham: Did you ever email Alan Joyce about flight upgrades?

Albanese: No.

Fordham: Did you ever share with Alan Joyce any flights or travel plans without specifically asking for an upgrade?

Albanese: No.

Fordham: Was there someone else at Qantas you were seeking upgrades from or sharing your travel plans with?

Albanese: No.

Coalition frontbencher Bridget McKenzie, who has been leading the pursuit of Albanese, is now also under the spotlight.

McKenzie said she would audit her travel history after previously saying she had not received Qantas upgrades and then admitting she had on one occasion. But The Australian Financial Review reported on Wednesday she had received more.

The prime minister has been under pressure all week after an excerpt from the book The Chairman’s Lounge was printed in Good Weekend reported at least 22 free Qantas upgrades for Albanese from 2009 to 2022. The book says Albanese liaised directly with Joyce, citing Qantas insiders without naming them. Joe Aston, the book’s author, declined to comment.

Albanese’s denials also respond to a Sky News story on Wednesday evening claiming Qantas’ former government affairs executive, Andrew Parker, personally oversaw Albanese’s flight upgrades. A government source disputed the story.

Qantas was contacted for comment.

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