Prime Minister Anthony Albanese did not declare thousands of dollars worth of business class flight upgrades gifted to his ex-wife for their personal travels.
Mr Albanese and his ex Carmel Tebbutt travelled to Los Angeles, Honolulu and Europe between 2009 and 2013, during which period he was the federal transport minister, opposition transport spokesman and opposition leader.
The pair received upgrades from economy to business class from Qantas and its partner airline Emirates.
Mr Albanese declared the upgrades he received in his personal register of interests, but failed to dislcose the business class upgrades given to Ms Tebbutt for the same trips and locations, the Australian Financial Review reported.
That’s despite disclosure rules stating that upgrades for spouses and dependent children ‘should be notified’.
Ms Tebbutt, who was then a NSW politician, declared the upgrades to her register of interests in state parliament, detailing personal flights she took between 2008 and 2011 during her tenure as deputy premier.
In some instances, she also provided more details than Mr Albanese disclosed in his own declaration, including the cities she flew to and the class she travelled in.
In 1986, a resolution was passed in the House of Representatives that required an MP to notify of any alteration to their interests.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (right) has come under fire for not declaring Business class upgrades gifted to his ex-wife, NSW politician Carmel Tebbutt (left)
Mr Albanese received at least 22 free Qantas upgrades from economy class for personal travel and also for his family, according to a new book
Under the resolution, failure to notify of any alterations within 28 days of the change occurring would render the MP ‘guilty of serious contempt’.
The book The Chairman’s Lounge, by former Australian Financial Review columnist Joe Aston, revealed Mr Albanese received at least 22 free Qantas upgrades from economy class for personal travel and also for his family.
The Prime Minister on Sunday told reporters he had declared every upgrade he received.
‘From time to time, members of parliament receive upgrades, what’s important is that they are declared,’ Mr Albanese said.
‘All of mine have been declared. I note that a range of them go back a long, a long period of time. They’ve all been declared as appropriate.’
In his book, Aston also claims Mr Albanese personally approached Mr Joyce to get dozens of free Qantas flight upgrades including with an international partner on a trip to Rome.
Qantas executives are able to authorise ‘space available’ upgrades – which is an upgrade granted to a passenger only if there is an empty business or first class seat after check-in has closed.
The book claims Mr Albanese received guaranteed upgrades, a perk only Mr Joyce was allowed to issue.
Mr Albanese’s relationship with former Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce was called into question
Mr Albanese shutdown questions about his relationship with the former Qantas chief executive.
‘[Alan Joyce] was the CEO of the national airline, and as 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.
The book also claims Mr Albanese asked Mr Joyce to make his son a member of airline’s exclusive Chairman’s Lounge, an invitation only perk, after he won the May 2022 election.
Mr Albanese did not include his son’s upgrades on his declaration of interests and explained his son had simply become his ‘plus one’ after his marriage with Ms Tebbutt ended in 2019.
‘My relationship ended. and my plus one became my son,’ Mr Albanese said.
‘I think that people’s families shouldn’t be the subject of targeting. That is all that happened, simple as that.’
Nationals Leader David Littleproud said Mr Albanese’s actions didn’t pass the pub test, especially given Labor’s decision to reject Qatar’s push for more flights in Australia putting them in competition with Qantas.
‘I think the Prime Minister simply has to put it to bed one way or another. Come out and disclose exactly what happened,’ he said.
‘And if he didn’t declare it on his pecuniary interest, why not?
‘And I think that’s a reasonable question to ask considering the significant decisions that this government’s made around airfares and airlines in this country.
Consumer Champion’s Adam Glezer said Mr Albanese’s actions were ‘inappropriate,’ and said politicians and decision makers shouldn’t be allowed to accept perks like Chairman’s Lounge access and free upgrades.
‘How can decision makers receive such incredible perks and make impartial decisions? All you have to do is look at the lack of competition in this country and our pathetic consumer laws when it comes to aviation,’ he said.
‘I think the Prime Minister has a lot to answer to. I would love to know why he had the right to receive the complimentary upgrades without paying for it where us mere mortals have to save up for years in order to enjoy a business class seat.’
Employment Relations Minister Murray Watt on Sunday defended Mr Albanese and declined to comment further.
‘What I can assure you … is that at all times, Labor has had the national interest at the front of our attention when it comes to our decisions about aviation policy,’ he told Sky News.
