‘Upgrade Albo’ leaves conviction politics in first class

Some senior Labor ministers and government backbenchers in marginal seats will be pulling their hair out. They have had to deflect criticism of their leader on two occasions in two weeks. The optics of “Clifftop Albo” and “Upgrade Albo” when many in the community are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis are appalling.

This is magnified when the Prime Minister has built his reputation as a crusader of the left but who apparently is not so wedded to its philosophy as to knock back the trappings of high office. Troy Bramston warns that Labor risks losing the next election with the disillusionment of voters from a traditional base and references left-wing warrior Kim Carr’s concern that Labor is enveloped in a crisis of identity (“ALP risks defeat if blue-collar voters continue to drift”, 29/10). None of this is helped when there’s the perception that the party’s leadership is more at home in the Qantas Chairman’s Lounge than mixing with true believers.

Kim Keogh, Claremont, WA

While the cost of airfares is at an all-time high, many average citizens will be irate at the fact our politicians and their families have been living it large at no cost for years thanks to the Prime Minister’s special relationship with our national carrier (“Upgrade Albo: Prime Minister facing his (lapse in) judgment day”, 29/10).

This situation is bad optics by any standard and potentially career ending for those involved, given the proximity to a federal election.

This masthead is right in calling for a forensic examination of the perks requested by or given to government ministers by Qantas, especially given the recent government ruling on additional Qatar Airways flights into Australia. This mess of the government’s own making needs clarity before we next go to the polls.

Tom Moylan, Dunkley Park, WA

The Australian editorial remarks that Anthony Albanese’s solicitation of business and first class seats by personally phoning former Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce “smacks of a politician from the left side of politics who, when opportunity presents, is quick to put his snout into the trough of privilege” (“Qantas upgrades another hint of crony capitalism”, 29/10). The Prime Minister once described himself as a “conviction politician”. I think aspirational politician is a more appropriate term.

Riley Brown, Bondi Beach, NSW

While Troy Bramston sums up the challenges facing Labor at the next federal election, there seems to be a significant disconnect between Anthony Albanese and the average Australian.

I suppose all politicians have to be salespeople, so therefore they need to tell their stories, but if their product is a dud and they have over-promised and underdelivered the average Aussie is smart enough to see through this. the Prime Minister’s biggest problem is a lack of self-awareness. He seems to have no understanding of the mess he has created.

Peter Tredenick, Laidley, Qld

In 60 years of international travel and despite being a Qantas frequent flyer, I never once succeeded in getting an upgrade. It seems that these seats were always full or unavailable to my particular category of frequent flyer. I should’ve been a politician.

Bill Pannell, Dalkeith, WA

I think everyone is missing the point of why Anthony Albanese sought upgrades on so many flights: covert operations. It’s much easier to learn the habits of the class enemy “Tories” disguised as one of them.

Bruce Collison, Banks, ACT

A tale of Albo: a young leftist firebrand, proudly proclaiming his public housing upbringing while regaling his acolytes with hilarious stories of fighting Tories, becomes Prime Minister. He makes some interesting friends, including the CEO of Qantas, who is so taken by the new PM he paints Yes on planes of our national carrier. While the Yes vote doesn’t get up, most Aussies still see Albo as a knockabout bloke and aren’t too fussed when it’s revealed that he and his fiancee have bought a dwelling light years from public housing. But then a book on Qantas is released, sensationally claiming that Albo, as minister for transport, not only personally called the CEO for upgrades but put himself in the frame for a very disturbing conflict of interest. People in the pub, particularly swing voters, see Albo differently.

Bob Miller, Leederville, WA