Peter Dutton says Anthony Albanese should refer himself to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (Nacc) after questioning whether the prime minister’s ties to Qantas influenced his government’s decision not to allow more Qatar Airways flights into the country.
It follows allegations in a book that Albanese had personally liaised with former Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce about obtaining free flight upgrades during his time as transport minister and opposition leader.
In a statement, the prime minister’s office told Guardian Australia the free flight upgrades had been on the record “for more than two decades” and called Dutton’s suggestion “a pathetic attempt at creating a headline”.
In a defensive press conference on Tuesday, Albanese insisted he has been “completely transparent” with all of his financial disclosures as an elected official, while pointing the finger at Coalition frontbenchers – including Dutton – for receiving similar upgrades from the airline while in parliament as well as flights to events on mining billionaire Gina Rinehart’s private jet.
The prime minister also took issue with the author of the accusations – former Nine newspaper columnist, Joe Aston.
“The person who is trying to sell a book … fair enough. I don’t see declarations that he’s a former Liberal party staffer,” he said.
On X (formerly known as Twitter), Aston posted that he had “disclosed” the role on the first line of the first page of his book, criticising Albanese’s comments as “beyond desperate”.
An excerpt of Aston’s new book, The Chairman’s Lounge, was published on Saturday, alleging a number of federal politicians had regularly received free business or first-class upgrades as part of their membership to the lounge, described as the “speakeasy for Australia’s ruling class”.
It alleged Albanese had received more than 20 upgrades between 2009 and 2019. Some flights were declared as “personally funded” and included destinations to Rome, London, Los Angeles and Honolulu.
“According to Qantas insiders, Albanese would liaise with Joyce directly about his personal travel,” Aston wrote.
“It would be a safe presumption that [Albanese] paid for an economy ticket in the full knowledge he would never have to set foot in that unholy cabin.”
Asked twice on Tuesday whether he spoke directly to Joyce about the upgrades, Albanese sidestepped the question.
“There is no accusations being made with any specifics at all about any of this. None. None. People are – Peter Dutton is making this statement. If there is a suggestion to be made, let it be made, specifically and I will answer it.”
Albanese said he had spoken to Joyce about a personal trip to Hawaii in December 2012, when he was upgraded to business class, and another in March 2013, when he flew with Joyce on Qantas’ first flight to Dubai.
“I have said very clearly that I recall direct discussions with Alan Joyce over the flights – the Emirates flight to Dubai and, of course, the first flight to Perth,” he said.
But the opposition leader ramped up his attacks on Albanese’s credibility, including that the matter should be referred to the Nacc.
Dutton said there were questions about whether the relationship influenced the government’s decision last year to reject Qatar’s requests to fly extra services into capital cities.
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“If Qatar[’s extra flights were allowed], if prime minister Albanese hadn’t decided to support his mate Alan Joyce, I think we would find ourselves in a position where we have lower airfares today because there would be more competition,” Dutton said.
“It’s just another example of the prime minister putting himself before other Australians.”
Albanese had said Dutton and the opposition transport spokesperson, Bridget McKenzie, should answer for their own declared flight upgrades and trips.
In April, Guardian Australia revealed Dutton’s office had claimed nearly $6,000 in public expenses for staff and security to travel to Perth with the opposition leader when he attended Rinehart’s lavish birthday party.
Months later, it was reported Dutton used a taxpayer-funded private jet to travel to a News Corp event in Tamworth, claiming $23,000 in travel expenses to speak at the summit where he criticised the government’s response to the cost-of-living crisis.
On the Today show, McKenzie said the accusations against Albanese amounted to a “serious problem” while acknowledging she had also received flight upgrades.
“The problem is that I don’t know of another transport minister who had a hotline to the CEO of Qantas to request freebies for family holidays,” she said.
“There’s a difference to receive a gift and declare it on your register to actually getting on the blower and saying, ‘Listen, mate, the missus and I are going overseas on a holiday. How about upgrading those economy tickets?’”
The Coalition is demanding an inquiry into Albanese’s relationship with Joyce and the airline, and has flagged renewed interest in calling for the airline’s former chief executive to appear before senators.
