Complaint lodged over Qantas Club photo the LNP used against Miles
A photo of Steven Miles drinking red wine in the Qantas Club was taken by a current LNP minister in breach of rules for the airport lounge, the Labor leader has claimed.
Speaking to ABC radio on Wednesday, Miles confirmed he had lodged a complaint with Qantas, after Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie last week circulated two covert photos taken of the former premier on a trip to Townsville during recent floods.
Bleijie tabled the photos in parliament, saying Miles had shown he was unfit to lead, by tweeting about his visit while “on the booze” in the lounge and on a flight.
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie tables photos purporting to show former premier Steven Miles drinking red wine in the Qantas Club at Townsville Airport.Credit: Jamila Filippone
Deputy Opposition Leader Cameron Dick responded by saying Miles had done nothing wrong – “We will watch you in the lounge wherever you are, you’re next,” he told the LNP frontbench – and Miles had since complained to Qantas.
“I have,” Miles told the ABC.
“One of [the LNP ministers] recently used their membership to take a photo of me having a drink in the Qantas Club. It’s a breach of the terms of service.
“All it goes to show is these LNP ministers will stoop at nothing. I thought it was a pretty low act.”
Miles had visited flood-hit communities with Labor’s disaster recovery spokeswoman Nikki Boyd, and party sources said Disaster Recovery Minister Ann Leahy was in the lounge and on the same flight as Miles when the photos were taken.
The government declined to comment on the source of the photos, which might also be referred to the parliamentary ethics committee, and Leahy would not say whether it was her or a member of her staff.
“We have zero interest in entertaining the opposition’s antics,” a spokesperson for Leahy said in a statement.
“Right now we are focused on supporting our flood-affected communities in North Queensland.
“If the opposition leader hasn’t worked out that Queenslanders don’t like people claiming to be in flood-affected communities when they’re not, then it’s no wonder he is facing leadership turmoil.”
Comment has been sought from Qantas, which encourages guests to follow the rules while in its lounges and on its flights.
The airline gave incoming LNP ministers complimentary Qantas Club memberships they were not afforded in opposition. Miles retained his membership after the election, however those of other former Labor ministers expired.
It is not the first time the LNP has sparked controversy over covert photos taken in apparent breach of the rules to attack Miles.
Last year, then LNP backbencher Michael Crandon apologised for taking a photo of a Labor MP’s phone, while parliament was sitting, to capture a text message from Miles that was subsequently leaked to the media.
Parliament resumes on March 11.
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