By Angus Thompson, Ashleigh McMillan and Amelia McGuire
Parliament’s key integrity campaigners say they are willing to put their exclusive Qantas Chairman’s Lounge memberships on the line in their pursuit of issues surrounding the besieged airline.
Independent MPs Allegra Spender and Andrew Wilkie said Qantas was welcome to revoke their privileges as the crossbench and opposition maintain pressure on the government over its rejection of Qatar Airways’ bid for more flights in Australia.
Independent MP Allegra Spender says Qantas is welcome to axe her lounge membership over her pursuit of competition issues.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
The airline has been at the centre of a political storm in recent weeks due to customer complaints, a consumer watchdog investigation, and questions over its influence on government decisions.
“Whether or not senators and members have lost their impartiality towards Qantas can be measured by their responses to the current Qantas crisis,” Wilkie said.
“While the government is tripping over itself to defend the airline, the opposition and some crossbenchers, including me, have been very critical during the current imbroglio. If that results in any of us being refused entry to the Chairman’s Lounge then so be it.”
Spender, who is also a member of Virgin’s lounge, said if the airlines wanted to take away her membership because of her commentary “they are welcome to”.
“I have been clear and robust publicly and privately about my demands for greater transparency on the Qatar decision and the need to increase competition in the aviation sector,” she said.
There is no suggestion Qantas would revoke the membership, which is offered to all parliamentarians, over MPs’ commentary.
Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather is one of the few parliamentarians to have refused an invitation, saying he declined the offer for the same reason he refuses to fly business class – “because I already spend too much time with politicians in parliament”.
His party leader, Adam Bandt, who is a member of the lounge, has said the Greens will put the public interest ahead of large corporations.
“The Greens are calling for Qantas to be nationalised and for a super-profits tax on big corporations,” he said.
Independent MP and integrity advocate Helen Haines, also a member, said it was up to all MPs to manage any conflict, “real or perceived”.
“As elected representatives, we have a duty to recognise influence and be transparent – that includes declaring memberships such as the Qantas Chairman’s Lounge,” she said.
Transport Minister Catherine King, who has justified the Qatar Airways decision as being in the national interest and not in the commercial interests of any one airline, this week urged Qantas to get its act together after independent MP Dr Monique Ryan called on the government to change the law to require airlines to compensate customers for cancellations and delays.
Ryan told this masthead her criticism of the airline spoke for itself.
Qantas is also bracing for a High Court decision on Wednesday over the outsourcing of 1700 ground-handling staff at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A spokesman for the High Court confirmed on Tuesday that all its current judges were members of the invite-only Qantas Chairman’s Lounge.
The exclusive club – which also hosts CEOs, A-list celebrities and sporting stars – provides a buffet, a la carte menu and free alcohol to members, who can also order off-menu.
The High Court spokesman said it was “disclosed to all parties before the hearing” that its judges had been given entry into the exclusive airline lounge.
A survey released this week, conducted by Resolve Strategic for this masthead, shows a majority of the public wants politicians to turn down free club memberships from Qantas.
Seventy per cent of voters think it is unacceptable for political leaders to accept the free membership of elite clubs such as the Qantas Chairman’s Lounge, while only 16 per cent back the practice.
Access to the chairman’s lounge is given to members for a two-year period, with memberships extended at Qantas’ discretion. All members are allowed to provide access to a guest when travelling with them.
Former Qantas boss Alan Joyce has referred to access as a “commercial arrangement”. For MPs and senators, it is given in recognition of the government continuing to choose the airline for the bulk of its travel. Large companies that select Qantas as their preferred business airline can also expect multiple passes.
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