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Australian politicians are almost always opting to fly with Qantas on taxpayer-funded <br> <br> trips, despite Virgin offering cheaper tickets.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Federal MPs flew with the national carrier for <br> <br> 80 per cent of work trips last year despite it not always being the cheapest route, according to travel <br> <br> data provided to the government.<br> <br> <br> <br> While politicians and their staffers are <br> <br> required to book the cheapest flight, it also has to be the most efficient, with Qantas offering the most routes between major cities.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> MPs are banned from accruing frequent flyer points on taxpayer-funded trips like ordinary Aussies <br> <br> can, but they can can receive lifetime status credits, which allows access to airport lounges and flight upgrades.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> '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> <br> the Australian Financial Review.<br> <br> <br> <br> <b>'There's nothing like accruing status credits on someone else's dime.'</b><br> <br> <br> <br> Transport Minister Catherine King has since committed to a review of <br> <br> flight bookings by government officials which will be conducted by <br> <br> the Department of Finance this year, despite there being just two months left <br> <br> of 2024.<br> <br> <br> <br> Politicians' preference for Qantas may also be put down to the airline's exclusive invite-only 'Chairman's Lounge'.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Australian politicians are almost always opting to fly with <br> <br> Qantas on taxpayer-funded trips, despite Virgin offering cheaper tickets.<br> <br> (pictured is Anthony Albanese, with former Qantas boss Alan Joyce, and fiancee <br> <br> Jodie Haydon)<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Read More<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> EXCLUSIVE<br> <br> <br> <br> <b>The Flying Kanga-RORT - why you're footing the bill as <br> <br> airlines wine and dine pollies in VIP club</b><br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Daily Mail Australia in August revealed that nearly every single federal politician in the country has accepted <br> <br> free membership of the club.<br> <br> <br> <br> Qantas and the Albanese government have both denied the airline enjoys any disproportionate level of <br> <br> influence over the country's political classes.<br> <br> <br> <br> A Daily Mail Australia audit of the members' interest registers - in both the House <br> <br> of Representatives and the Senate - revealed almost 93 <br> <br> per cent of the nation's leaders have been 'gifted' membership to the lavish, <br> <br> all-inclusive lounge.<br> <br> <br> <br> The high profile ranks of government giftees include Prime <br> <br> Minister Anthony Albanese as well as every member of his <br> <br> 22-person Cabinet, his seven-person Outer Ministry and all <br> <br> 12 assistant ministers.<br> <br> <br> <br> While most politicians declared their Qantas' privileges <br> <br> as a 'gift', Labor MP Marion Scrymgour listed her membership as her <br> <br> 'Chairman Lounge entitlement'.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Daily Mail Australia in August revealed that nearly every single federal politician in the country has accepted free membership <br> <br> of Qantas' exclusive Chairman's Lounge.<br> <br> <br> <br> And it's not just politicians on the take, with more than 60 MPs <br> <br> - including Marles, Chalmers, King, Bill Shorten, Zali Steggall and Tanya Plibersek - <br> <br> disclosing their spouses have also been granted unfettered, independent access to Qantas' luxurious members only <br> <br> lounge.<br> <br> <br> <br> Often touted as 'the most exclusive club in the country', membership <br> <br> to the Chairman's Lounge has long been veiled in secrecy.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Even the entrances to each of the country's six opulent VIP clubs - in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane,<br> <br> Adelaide, Canberra and Perth airports - are suitably discreet.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Though, once inside, the designer lounges are immediately more ostentatious, <br> <br> with free à la carte fine dining, table service, a <br> <br> decadent selection of wines and Champagne and a discreet army of <br> <br> dedicated lounge attendants.<br> <br> <br> <br> Membership to the club is 'priceless' - it cannot be bought for any amount <br> <br> of money nor obtained via any amount of frequent flyers points.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <b>Instead, each member is hand-picked and approved by the company's chief executive and chairman.</b><br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Qantas<br> <br> <br> <br> Also visit my web page: <a href="http://WWW.Hebian.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=3838690">พวงหรีดใกล้ฉัน</a>