ABC Q+A host Patricia Karvelas shocked by MPs’ Qantas admission

Q+A host Patricia Karvelas was shocked by a Qantas admission from Aussie MPs on the panel and stepped in when one tried to brush it off.

Moments after laying into Qantas, a panel of Australian MPs have had to raise their hands confessing they are members of the invite-only Qantas Chairman’s Lounge.

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt, Nationals MP Kevin Hogan and Independent MP Kylea Tink appeared on ABC’s Q+A program on Monday, alongside former NSW premier and high commissioner to India Barry O’Farrell and writer and youth advocate Yasmin Poole.

Q+A host Patricia Karvelas gasped as four out of five revealed their memberships to the exclusive lounge when asked.

Ms Poole, who said she paid $4000 for a return ticket from the UK to Australia, was the only panellist who didn’t raise their hand.

Defending her membership, Ms Tink quickly said: “But I’ve got to say, a free drink and some stale peanuts is not going to stop me from calling them out when the behaviour is wrong.”

Ms Karvelas replied: “Oh Kylea, there’s good stuff there. It’s better than stale peanuts.”

Patricia Karvelas gasped as Kylea Tink, Murray Watt, Kevin Hogan and Barry O’Farrell raised their hands to being members of the Qantas Chairman’s Lounge. Picture: ABC

The six exclusive lounges – with a membership list including Australia’s top CEOs, A-list celebrities and politicians – are said to offer a buffet but also table service and an a la carte menu.

Think steak and oysters, not stale peanuts.

“Maybe I’ve still got to go there,” Ms Tink said.

The Qantas Chairman’s Lounge was brought back into the spotlight last month after Mr Joyce was issued a summons to appear at an Australian Senate inquiry into the cost of living.

He refused to answer questions about whether he had any conversations with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese before deciding to grant his 23-year-old son access to Qantas’ invite-only Chairman’s Lounge, or whether he had given any family members of any other politicians a similar free membership.

Alan Joyce during a senate hearing into the cost of living on August 28. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Aaron Francis

The Q+A panel on Monday had been asked how Qantas would repair its reputation and restore Australians’ trust in the national carrier after so many scandals, which include the consumer watchdog seeking to penalise the airline by more than $250 million for allegedly selling sale tickets for already-cancelled flights.

Last week, Alan Joyce left the company as CEO two months earlier than planned so the airline could “move ahead with its renewal” under new management.

Former chief financial officer Vanessa Hudson has taken on the top job.

Mr Hogan said he was “trying not to” fly Qantas at the moment as a statement.

He went on to highlight the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s allegation about selling already-cancelled flights and other claims Qantas is hoarding slots at airports, which Mr Joyce has rejected.

He had also drawn attention to the Australian Government’s controversial decision to reject an application from Qatar Airways for extra flights into Australia.

The decision has been slammed as a move to protect Qantas from competition.

Supporters, including Virgin Australia which has partnership with the Doha-based carrier, said the move would have reduced airfares for Australians, while Qantas, who opposed the decision, claimed it would “distort the market”.

Qantas was given $900 million in JobKeeper payments during the pandemic. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

Mr Watt criticised Qantas’ treatment of its workers and also said the company should consider paying back the JobKeeper payments it accepted during Covid.

“It was a big investment from taxpayers and taxpayers aren’t seeing that repaid in terms of the services,” he said.

As flights were grounded and staff were stepped down during Covid-19, Qantas was given almost $900 million in JobKeeper payments; and an additional $1.6 billion in other government assistance payments.

The Qantas Group posted an underlying profit before tax of $2.47 billion for the 2023 financial year.

Ms Tink said Qantas needed to pay back travel credits it held for cancelled flights.

At the end of last month, Qantas announced it would scrap the expiry date on at least $470 million in Covid travel credits, following intense questioning at the hearing for the senate inquiry and public backlash.