Trvalý odkaz Pridané používateľom Anonymný (bez overenia) dňa So, 11/30/2024 - 04:34
Australian politicians are almost always opting to fly with Qantas on taxpayer-funded trips, <br>
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despite Virgin offering cheaper tickets.<br>
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Federal MPs flew with the national carrier for 80 per cent of work trips last <br>
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year despite it not always being the cheapest route,<br>
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according to travel data provided to the government.<br>
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While politicians and their staffers are required to book the cheapest flight, it also has to be the most <br>
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efficient, with Qantas offering the most routes between major cities.<br>
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MPs are banned from accruing frequent flyer points on taxpayer-funded trips like <br>
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ordinary Aussies can, but they can can receive lifetime status credits, which allows access to airport lounges and flight upgrades.<br>
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'How else can one explain the extraordinary dominance of Qantas in securing bookings by parliamentarians and their staff?' Myriam Robin wrote in an opinion piece for <br>
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the Australian Financial Review.<br>
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'There's nothing like accruing status credits on someone <br>
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else's dime.'<br>
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Transport Minister Catherine King has since committed to a <br>
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review of flight bookings by government officials which will <br>
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be conducted by the Department of Finance this year, despite there being just two months <br>
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left of 2024.<br>
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Politicians' preference for Qantas may also be put down to <br>
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the airline's exclusive invite-only 'Chairman's Lounge'.<br>
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Australian politicians are almost always opting to fly with Qantas on taxpayer-funded trips,<br>
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despite Virgin offering cheaper tickets. (pictured is Anthony Albanese, with former Qantas boss Alan Joyce, and fiancee Jodie Haydon)<br>
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Read More<br>
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EXCLUSIVE<br>
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<br>
The Flying Kanga-RORT - why you're footing the bill as airlines wine and <br>
<br>
dine pollies in VIP club<br>
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Daily Mail Australia in August revealed that <br>
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nearly every single federal politician in the country has <br>
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accepted free membership of the club.<br>
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Qantas and the Albanese government have both denied the airline enjoys any disproportionate <br>
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level of influence over the country's political classes.<br>
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A Daily Mail Australia audit of the members' interest registers - in both the House of Representatives <br>
<br>
and the Senate - revealed almost 93 per cent of the nation's leaders <br>
<br>
have been 'gifted' membership to the lavish, all-inclusive <br>
<br>
lounge.<br>
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The high profile ranks of government giftees include Prime Minister Anthony <br>
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Albanese as well as every member of his 22-person Cabinet, his <br>
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seven-person Outer Ministry and all 12 assistant ministers.<br>
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While most politicians declared their Qantas' <br>
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privileges as a 'gift', Labor MP Marion Scrymgour listed her membership as her 'Chairman Lounge <br>
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entitlement'.<br>
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Daily Mail Australia in August revealed that nearly every single federal politician in the country <br>
<br>
has accepted free membership of Qantas' exclusive Chairman's Lounge.<br>
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And it's not just politicians on the take, with more <br>
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than 60 MPs - including Marles, Chalmers, King, Bill Shorten, <br>
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Zali Steggall and Tanya Plibersek - disclosing their spouses <br>
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have also been granted unfettered, independent access to Qantas' luxurious members <br>
<br>
only lounge.<br>
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Often touted as 'the most exclusive club in the country', membership to the Chairman's Lounge has <br>
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long been veiled in secrecy.<br>
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Even the entrances to each of the country's six opulent VIP clubs - <br>
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in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and Perth airports - <br>
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are suitably discreet.<br>
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Though, once inside, the designer lounges are immediately <br>
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more ostentatious, with free à la carte fine dining, table service, a decadent selection of wines and Champagne <br>
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and a discreet army of dedicated lounge attendants.<br>
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Membership to the club is 'priceless' - it cannot be bought for <br>
<br>
any amount of money nor obtained via any amount of <br>
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frequent flyers points.<br>
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Instead, each member is hand-picked and approved by the company's chief executive and chairman.<br>
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Qantas<br>
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Australian politicians are