See the free flights our most senior MPs take
By Millie Muroi
Who flew where, how and who paid are fast becoming the defining questions in politics.
Journalist Joe Aston’s book The Chairman’s Lounge, an excerpt of which ran in Good Weekend, showed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had declared 22 flight upgrades and reports a Qantas insider saying Albanese liaised directly with former Qantas boss Alan Joyce to secure them.
MPs from both sides of politics claim plenty of free travel.Credit: Monique Westermann
The government hit back, arguing free or upgraded travel arrangements were common in parliament. On Wednesday, the prime minister’s office issued a statement denying he’d petitioned Joyce for upgrades.
“The prime minister did not ever call Alan Joyce seeking an upgrade,” the statement said. “All travel has been appropriately declared and is a matter of public record.”
“Bridget McKenzie can answer questions herself about things,” Albanese said at a press conference on Tuesday. “Peter Dutton can answer questions about his flights. I assume, his flights, upgrades are the same circumstances that I am in. With the exception that I don’t have access to a private jet on call, which has happened with Mr Dutton, and it’s up to him to explain that.”
Albanese has declared a flight on billionaire Lindsay Fox’s helicopter. View all flight declarations from cabinet ministers in this term of parliament below:
Flight declarations vary. Some cover several flights and mean the entire flight was paid for by someone else. Others cover only one flight paid for by an MP where they received a better seat.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said there is a difference between MPs who have accepted upgrades and Albanese’s alleged conduct. “He was transport minister and he picked the phone up to the CEO of Qantas to get upgrades,” Dutton said on Tuesday.
Cabinet and opposition frontbench members and senators who have not declared flights have been excluded from these lists.
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