Joe Aston got the kind of book launch every first time author dreams of - <br>
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massive amounts of free publicity online, in newspapers and on TV and radio. <br>
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And it was all thanks to Anthony Albanese's ill-informed <br>
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attack on Aston over what was written in his book, The Chairman's Lounge - The Inside Story of how Qantas sold us out.<br>
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Despite the resultant terrible publicity - which has led to him being called 'upgrade Albo' - <br>
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and calls for an inquiry, Aston told Daily Mail Australia his <br>
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book is 'not a hit job on Anthony Albanese'.<br>
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Aston insisted he's 'not trying to get a scalp', but reiterated that the Prime Minister <br>
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'had a direct line to Alan Joyce'.<br>
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The book claims Mr Albanese got 22 upgrades from economy on Qantas flights by personally requesting them from <br>
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the airline's then CEO Mr Joyce - which the Prime Minister has categorically denied.<br>
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According to unnamed Qantas 'insiders', 11 of the 22 flights Mr Albanese got upgrades <br>
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for were 'privately funded' and included overseas trips <br>
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to Rome, London, Los Angeles and Honolulu. <br>
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But instead of addressing the claim, Mr Albanese <br>
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chose to shoot the messenger and, in turn, shot himself in the foot. <br>
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He said Aston was using the accusations to sell books and <br>
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said he was hiding his employment history. <br>
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'I don't see declarations that he's a former Liberal Party staffer… I don't see declarations he's a former Qantas employee,' the Prime Minister said. <br>
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But before the book even gets to the contents page there is <br>
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a photo of Aston that refers to him as the then-Qantas corporate communications senior adviser. <br>
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Joe Aston (pictured) got the kind of book <br>
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launch every first time author dreams of - massive amounts of free publicity online, in newspapers and on TV and radio<br>
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Anthony Albanese (right) is pictured with his fiance Jodie Haydon (left) <br>
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and then Qantas CEO Alan Joyce on March 31, 2023 in Sydney, Australia<br>
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And the first chapter of the book reveals that he worked for then-Liberal <br>
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MP Bruce Baird, who held the southern Sydney seat of Cook before <br>
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Scott Morrison. <br>
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'My professional history is not a secret or not disclosed,<br>
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it's in the first line of the first page of the book,<br>
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' Aston said on Tuesday night, just before his book launch. <br>
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Though he was grateful for the free publicity Mr <br>
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Albanese's response gave the book, Aston was <br>
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still 'staggered' at the untrue claims about him the Prime Minister made. <br>
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'He's under enormous pressure and I know, I've seen this many times with public figures <br>
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and leaders who struggle to see their own part in it, the terrible circumstances that they create,<br>
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' he said.<br>
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Read More<br>
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<b><u>Extravagant Qantas perk Anthony Albanese FAILED to <br>
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declare is revealed... after two days of denials</u></b><br>
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Asked if Mr Albanese had been poorly advised in his <br>
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attack, Aston, who is a former Australian Financial Review columnist, wonders if the <br>
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Prime Minister 'even listens to advice at this point'.<br>
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'All he's doing is talking around the issue and he's blaming me and he's <br>
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blaming other MP's for also taking upgrades (on Qantas flights).<br>
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'He's avoiding the only thing that he can't talk about, which is, did you ask Qantas for confirmed upgrades on your <br>
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private holidays when you were the Transport Minister?<br>
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The answer is "yes" and he's desperately trying to avoid saying it.'<br>
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Smelling blood, Opposition leader Peter Dutton said the Prime Minister should refer himself to the anti-corruption commission over the <br>
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flight upgrades.<br>
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Coming on top of Mr Albanese's tone deaf purchase of a $4.3million clifftop mansion while so many people are struggling to pay their mortgage or rent, the latest blow to his credibility has led to calls for him to resign.<br>
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<u><strong>Aston refuses to be drawn on this, though. </strong></u><br>
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'I never expected this (part of the book) to even this part to get <br>
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this far. I really am shocked at how it's blown up.<br>
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<b>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is pictured with the then Qantas CEO Alan Joyce</b><br>
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Anthony Albanese is pictured on August 14, 2023 as Qantas unveiled its Yes23 livery <br>
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in support of a Yes vote in the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum <br>
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Among the movers and shakers at Joe Aston's book <br>
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launch in the ritzy Hemmesphere club in Sydney was Tabcorp <br>
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director David Gallop (pictured)<br>
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<u><i>Paul Barry (pictured in blue shirt), the host of the ABC's <br>
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Media Watch show, was also at the launch</i></u><br>
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'So to the extent that it has, I would say ...<br>
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anyone who reads the book will learn that this book is not a hit job on Anthony Albanese.<br>
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This book is about Qantas. <br>
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'Anthony Albanese is an example of how Qantas influences politicians on both sides of <br>
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the aisle, Labor, Liberal, National, you name it.<br>
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They've been doing it for more than a generation.<br>
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'They're the best influence peddler in Australia.<br>
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I'm not here trying to get a scalp. That's not what this book is about and it never was.'<br>
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But the conversation Daily Mail Australia had with Aston mirrors the conversations being had across Australia and eventually winds up back on Mr Albanese. <br>
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'Even I've underestimated how fed up the public is with the freebie mindset of politicians,<br>
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' he said.<br>
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Guests at Joe Aston's book launch on Tuesday night are pictured pointing for emphasis or to someone they recognise<br>
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<b>There was no shortage of free alcohol (pictured) available at the launch of Joe Aston's book </b><br>
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Joe Aston is pictured in the exclusive Hemmesphere club in Sydney, <br>
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where his book The Chairman's Lounge was launched<br>
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'And unfortunately for Albanese, he's been in politics a long time and that kind <br>
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of behaviour is quite normalised to him, is what I've seen. <br>
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'I mean, he loves the free concert tickets and sitting at the front row <br>
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of the Australian Open Tennis. <br>
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'I went to the Australian Open Tennis as a journalist <br>
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almost every year for 12 years and he was the only Prime Minister (I saw there).<br>
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'Those tickets are worth thousands of dollars to sit in the front row of the International Grand Slam.<br>
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He's the first Prime Minister who I've ever seen do that.<br>
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'That to me is a sign that he doesn't quite get what <br>
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it looks like to others when he's on the gravy train. And <br>
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I think (the claims in the book are) just another example of that.'<br>
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In Australian politics it's regular practise for an MP's travel to be <br>
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booked in economy, then someone in their office phones the airline and asks if their flight can be upgraded. <br>
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The difference with the Prime Minister is that 'he had a very <br>
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direct line to Alan Joyce,' Aston said.<br>
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'The other thing is there's a difference between an upgrade where it's in the booking and if the seat's empty when the flight closes, <br>
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you'll get upgraded.<br>
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'This is different. This is a confirmed upgrade where the ticket is converted and you are guaranteed.<br>
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You're not going to the airport crossing your fingers going "Geez, I hope there is a spare seat".<br>
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'You're guaranteed. You turn up knowing you're getting a seat and the only person at Qantas <br>
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who can issue those types of upgrades is the CEO. No other executive can do that.<br>
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<strong><u>'So it is beyond question that Alan joints authorised these upgrades (for Anthony Albanese).'</u></strong><br>
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Aston enjoyed many upgrades to the pointy end of planes during his time as a travel journalist, and understands the <br>
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attraction for politicians to get up there. <br>
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'These things are tempting and it's human nature too.<br>
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Once you've experienced the front of the plane, it's <br>
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very hard to go back.<br>
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'For politicians, they run around with all these staff and they've got chauffeured cars and they fly in business,<br>
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but they don't get paid like CEOs ...<br>
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'They're not in a situation where they can afford to go <br>
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flying around in the front of the plane on personal travel. <br>
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'A normal person would say "Therefore I won't (fly business class). But (for politicians) it's a culture of entitlement.'<br>
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Aston is careful to point out that most people would say politicians are 'very well paid compared to the average worker'.<br>
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But that doesn't stop some MPs from desperately seeking a free ride, whether it's a flight upgrade, concert tickets or the executive box at sporting events. <br>
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Late on Wednesday night, a spokeswoman Mr Albanese said 'The Prime Minister did not ever call Alan Joyce seeking an upgrade'.<br>
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<b><u>'All travel has been appropriately declared and is a matter of public record.'</u></b><br>
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<b>Daily Mail Australia has contacted Qantas for comment. </b><br>
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The Chairman's Lounge - The Inside Story of how Qantas sold us out, by Joe Aston, is available now in bookshops and from online retailers<br>
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<b>WHAT IS THE QANTAS CHAIRMAN'S LOUNGE?</b><br>
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The Qantas Chairman's Lounge is an invitation-only club approved by the company chairman, with the guest list a closely-guarded secret.<br>
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<b>It has been dubbed 'the most exclusive club in the country' and comes with a distinct black card.</b><br>
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Members include senior-ranking MPs such as 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.<br>
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The clubs can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide airports but are not signposted - you have to know where to look.<br>
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Inside you will find expensive wood and brass furnishings, wool carpet and marble flooring, all bathed in natural light. <br>
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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 gifts.<br>
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<b><u>Facilities may also include spas, showers and an assortment of books and magazines.</u></b><br>
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<b>Members may bring in two guests at a time. </b><br>
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Lounge attendants personally alert you when your flight is ready to board, and your personal preferences are logged for each flight. <br>
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<u><i>Membership also entitles you to first-class facilities at Qantas partner airlines.</i></u><br>
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<strong>Source: Executive Traveller</strong><br>
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Anthony Albanese<br>
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