1528542 comments

• Comment Link
  พวงหรีด งานศพ Posted 28.11.2024 in 15:20

  Anthony Albanese has tried to claim his relationship with Alan Joyce was a strictly professional one between a
  Prime Minister and a corporate titan, as he
  battles claims the Qantas boss was his 'personal travel
  agent' for free flights and upgrades.
  
  However that characterization of the relationship was at odds with that made by Mr Joyce, who said he was 'good mates' with
  Mr Albanese and had been 'for years'.
  
  In the wake of the explosive claims that the Prime Minister had Mr Joyce arrange free tickets and upgrades, Mr Albanese distanced himself from the Qantas chief.
  
  
  When asked about about their relationship on Sunday Mr Albanese
  implied it was purely in a professional capacity, having been Transport Minister and shadow transport spokesperson before
  becoming Prime Minister. 
  
  'He (Joyce) was the CEO of the national airline ...
  I had the same relationship with him that I have with John Borghetti as
  the CEO of Virgin,' Mr Albanese said.
  
  That assessment was at odds with the many photos showing Mr Albanese and
  Mr Joyce apparently greatly enjoying each other's company. 
  
  Mr Albanese and Mr Joyce were pictured in high spirits on the red carpet at the Qantas
  100th Gala Dinner in March last year.
  
  In photos from the event, Mr Joyce proudly walks the red carpet with
  one arm around the prime minister and the other around Mr Albanese's partner, Jodie
  Haydon.
  
  Just five months later, in August, a smiling Mr Albanese attended Qantas's unveiling of it's
  special 'Yes 23' emblazoned airplanes for the Voice referendum.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce jovially walked the red carpet with one arm
  around the prime minister and the other around his
  partner, Jodie Haydon for a special anniversary event last year
  
  Mr Joyce was seen touching Mr Albanese's arm, with the PM bursting into laughter.
  
  
  Even when Scott Morrison was PM,  Mr Joyce enjoyed an apparently close
  relationship with Mr Albanese as the pair stood close together at the launch of the
  Qantas' landmark Perth to London flight in March, 2018. 
  
  During a Senate hearing in September 2023, Mr Joyce said he had been 'friends
  for years' with Mr Albanese.
  
  Asked about why he gifted Mr Albanese's son Nathan a membership to the prestigious and exclusive Chairman's Lounge Mr Joyce refused to confirm
  or deny but talked up his relationship with the Prime Minister.
  
  
  'I've been good mates with Albo for some time,' Mr Joyce said. 
  
  However, the then Qantas CEO refused to say whether he lobbied the Prime Minister on the controversial decision to lock competitor Qatar Airways out of domestic routes.
  
  
  It has since emerged in a new book about Qantas, The Chairman's
  Lounge, by former Australian Financial Review columnist
  Joe Aston that Ms Haydon is also a Chairman's Lounge member. 
  
  
  
  
  Mr Albanese and Mr Joyce also appeared to
  greatly enjoying each other's company at  a
  Qantas event in August last year
  
  
  
  
  Read More
  
  Anthony Albanese fires up and launches a brutal personal attack on book
  author
  
  
  Reports have emerged in a new book Mr Albanese
  received 22 upgrades from economy from Qantas
  and he would liaise personally with the former airline boss for them. 
  
  Aston also alleged Mr Albanese directly contacted Mr Joyce while in his various parliamentary jobs
  to ask for special upgrades for himself or his family.
  
  
  
  According to unnamed Qantas 'insiders' 11 of the 22 flights Mr Albanese received upgrades
  for were 'privately funded' and included overseas trips to Rome, London, Los Angeles and Honolulu, with some being for holidays.
  
  
  Mr Albanese insisted on Tuesday that the London flights was for work
  purposes and all were 'declared in the appropriate way'.    
  
  Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has leapt on the accusations describing Mr Albanese as being the
  'best friend' of Mr Joyce. 
  
  Mr Dutton told Sky News on Monday night it was
  'strange' Mr Albanese had directly contacted Mr Joyce
  to request upgrades while holding a regulatory position in the transport
  sector.
  
  'If you're the Transport Minister and you're picking up the phone to one of the most important stakeholders
  in the portfolio asking for a free upgrade, then again,
  I think the Prime Minister would be able
  to answer those questions more effectively than anyone else because I'm not aware of anyone else having
  done it,' Mr Dutton said.
  
  
  
  
  It has since emerged that Ms Haydon also has membership of the Qantas Chairman's Lounge
  
  
  
  The Prime Minister denied frequently asking Mr Joyce for upgrades on Tuesday at press
  conference in the NSW city of Newcastle.
  
  'The only discussions that I can recall with Alan Joyce certainly were not discussed through calls - we discussed the first flight from Australia to Dubai on the
  A380,' he said.
  
  'I've declared everything in accordance with all of the rules.'
  
  Aston was asked on Monday night by ABC interviewer Sarah Ferguson about how
  confident he was that Mr Albanese had made calls personally
  to Mr Joyce for upgrades.
  
  'I am very comfortable with my sourcing,' Aston said.
  
  Asked whether he thought Mr Albanese had been influenced by Mr Joyce's lobbying to
  block UAE airline Qatar domestically Aston said it was 'implausible' to think that the
  Prime Minister's office had nothing to do with the decision.
  
  
  
  
  Mr Albanese's son Nathan, 24, has reportedly also
  been granted access to the Qantas Chairman's Lounge (pictured, Mr Albanese and son Nathan in May, 2022)
  
  'It's very hard to imagine a decision of any political sensitivity in the
  Albanese government that would not go through the Prime Minister's office,' Aston replied.
  
  
  He noted the opening up of the Australian domestic market Qatar had seemingly
  been sailing through with Transport Minister Catherine King speaking warmly about the
  proposal until 'everything changed' to stop it dead in tracks. 
  
   Ms King repeatedly denied in parliament the decision to
  block Qatar was due to Qantas lobbying her or any Labor colleagues.
  
  
  Despite Mr Albanese claiming he declared every upgrade received from
  Qantas the Australian Financial Review reported on Tuesday that he failed to do
  for his former wife Carmel Tebbutt when the two traveled together.
  
  
  
  
  
  Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has  questioned the alleged personal requests Mr
  Albanese made to Mr Joyce  while in his various parliamentary jobs
  
  
  
  
  
  Even when Scott Morrison was prime minister, Mr Joyce appeared to have a close relationship with Mr Albanese (the pair are pictured at an event in 2019)
  
  Sky New host Sharri Markson on Monday night labeled Mr Joyce as 'basically Albanese's
  personal travel agent.'
  
  'This is all a question of integrity. Most Australians struggle to afford even an economy airfare.
  They'd never be able to afford the luxury of business
  class. It's out of our reach,' she said.
  
  'Can Albanese truly be impartial when it comes to making decisions about
  Qantas when he's been getting tens of thousands of dollars worth of free
  upgrades to business class? The revelations puts the decision he made as transport minister and prime minister under a
  cloud.
  
  'Aside from the integrity issues, this revelation is also politically lethal.
  
  Albanese took care to curate a self-image of a housing commission boy who made it.
  But now the perception is cementing of a long-term pollie enjoying the perks of public office.'
  
  Another awkward paradox of Mr Albanese's  apparent close relationship with Mr Joyce is that the
  Labor leader in a trade unionist advocate while Qantas attempted to break the power of the Transport
  Workers Union by sacking 1700 staff during Covid. 
  
  The sacking has since been ruled illegal by Federal Court in a case brought
  by the union with Qantas facing possible hundreds of thousands in compensation payouts. 
  
  The friendship however did find one perhaps unlikely defender in semi-retired 3AW radio star Neil Mitchell. 
  
  'Quick test: upgrade Albo is a bad look,' Mitchell wrote on X.
  
  
  'But does anybody believe he was seriously compromised by having Alan Joyce
  as a bestie? Time to rewrite rules governing politicians.' 
  
  WHAT IS THE QANTAS CHAIRMAN'S CLUB?
  
  The Qantas Chairman's Lounge is an invitation-only club
  approved by the company chairman, with the guest list a closely-guarded secret.
  
  
  It has been dubbed ¿the most exclusive club in the country¿ and comes with
  a distinct black card.
  
  Members include senior-ranking MPs including ministers, state premiers
  and the Prime Minister, leaders of major unions and
  sporting groups, Qantas ambassadors, selected A-list celebrities, major corporate figures
  and high-profile media personalities.
  
  The clubs can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide but are not signed, you have to know
  where to look.
  
  Inside you will find expensive wood and brass furnishings, wool carpet and marble
  flooring all bathed in natural light. 
  
  Members enjoy fine à la carte dining with a complimentary premium array of beers, spirits
  and Australian wines. Wine bottles are often given as departing gift
  
  Facilities may also include spas, showers and an assortment of books and magazines.
  
  
  Members may bring in two guests at a time. 
  
  Lounge attendants personally alert you when your flight is to
  board and your personal preferences are logged for each flight.
  Membership also entitles you to first-class facilities at
  Qantas partner airlines.
  
  free upgrades where they are available and a hotline to Qantas's
  customer service for any and all travel needs. 
  
  Source: Executive Traveller
  
   
  
   
  
   
  
  
  
  LondonAnthony AlbaneseQantas