‘Can’t lie straight in bed’: Dutton hits back at Albanese

The Opposition Leader has hit back at the Prime Minister after Anthony Albanese accused Peter Dutton of being “obsessed” with him.

Peter Dutton has hit back at the Prime Minister, claiming Anthony Albanese “can’t lie straight in bed” over the unfolding Qantas saga.

Speaking in Western Australia, Mr Dutton said Australians were beginning “question the integrity and truthfulness of their Prime Minister” in light of allegations he had previously requested upgrades on flights through former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce.

“Mr Albanese needs to be honest. He can blame other people but this is a problem of his own making” Mr Dutton said.

“He was Transport Minister and he picked the phone up to the CEO of Qantas to get upgrades, some of which it seems were declared and others not. He’s not coherent. His story keeps changing. Australians are now starting to question the integrity and the truthfulness of their Prime Minister.”

Earlier today Mr Albanese refused to give a straight answer on whether he phoned Mr Joyce to request flight upgrades, despite being asked about the issue multiple times at a press conference.

Mr Albanese, who was quizzed by journalists in Newcastle, claimed “the only discussions that I can recall with Alan Joyce... certainly we discussed, not through calls, we discussed the first flight from Australia to Dubai on an A-30.”

When pressed on whether he had solicited for upgrades, Mr Albanese said “there is no accusation being made with any specifics at all about any of this. I recall direct discussions with Alan Joyce over the Qantas flight to Dubai and of course the first flight from Perth, they are the only times I was on a plane with Alan Joyce.”

The Prime Minister also used the media call to slam Peter Dutton, stating he “seems to be obsessed with making attacks on myself, my family and to try to engage in this obsession.”

Jodie Haydon, Alan Joyce and Anthony Albanese.

In a further attack on the Opposition Leader, Mr Albanese said: “I didn’t have to declare any flights with private jets owned by billionaires like Gina Rinehart because I haven’t engaged in that.”

He also fired barbs at senior Liberal Paul Fletcher, claiming “I’m far from being the most frequent person being upgraded. Paul Fletcher’s been upgraded at least 69 times that he’s declared. He’s been in Parliament for less time than I have.”

“What you need to do is make sure you stick to the rules - I’ve done that at all times. I have, at all times, at all times, acted in a transparent and appropriate way.

The remarks from Mr Albanese follow revelations he has received at least two dozen flight upgrades and gifts from Qantas since 2010, including international travel, an iPad and tickets to the cricket and rugby league.

Transport Minister Anthony Albanese, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce and Emirates President Tim Clark at the launch of first flight to Dubai under Qantas/Emirates codeshare partnership, at Sydney airport.

A new book titled “The Chairman’s Lounge” by journalist Joe Aston claims “Albanese would liaise with Joyce directly about his personal travel”. Aston said “while other Qantas executives could authorise space available upgrades in flight bookings … only Joyce could issue confirmed or guaranteed upgrades, the kind that Albanese was ­treated to”.

Mr Dutton lit the fuse yesterday when he accused Mr Albanese of calling his “best mate Alan Joyce” to solicit upgrades.

Over the years, Qantas has provided Mr Albanese with Lifetime Platinum Membership.

Many of these perks were provided to Mr Albanese while he was Labor’s Transport Minister in the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd governments.

Alan Joyce and Anthony Albanese enjoy each other’s company at the National Press Club in 2015. Picture: Gary Ramage

Opposition transport spokeswoman Bridget McKenzie said there were “serious questions of the influence of this relationship between the Prime Minister and Qantas, that have impacted decisions the government has made about competition in the aviation sector”.

The Qantas Chairman's Lounge in Sydney. Picture: Supplied

Senator McKenzie pointed to a range of decisions made by Labor governments which had benefited Qantas, including blocking Qatar Airways from expanding in Australia, as proof Mr Albanese had been “running a protection racket” for the airline.

Last year, the Albanese government made the extraordinary decision of blocking Qatar Airways, a key rival of Qantas, from adding 21 flights per week to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane routes.

Labor rejected the proposal, claiming it was “protecting the national interest”, but the decision was overwhelmingly criticised, including by former heads of consumer watchdog, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Employment Minister Murray Watt yesterday defended Mr Albanese, insisting “when it comes to Qantas … he hasn’t played favourites”.

The Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and former Qantas CEO during the Voice campaign which both men supported. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

“When he was the transport minister more than a decade ago, when Qantas grounded their fleet (over an industrial dispute) … Anthony Albanese took Qantas on,” Mr Watt told Nine.

Last year during the Voice to Parliament referendum, Qantas threw its support behind Labor’s Yes vote push, spending more than $350,000 supporting the campaign, providing flights to its leading campaigners and rebranding several planes to show support. Mr Albanese tweeted a photo in August 2023 alongside Mr Joyce, with the caption: “The Spirit of Australia says Yes.”

The Prime Minister, who regularly references his ­childhood in housing commission, recently came under fire for purchasing a $4.3m beach house on the Central Coast amid the housing crisis.

As one Labor insider noted regarding the Qantas perks: “All this shows is what we’ve always know