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 <br>
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80 per cent of work trips last 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 <br>
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cheapest flight, it also has to be the most 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 ordinary <br>
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Aussies can, but they can can receive lifetime status credits, which <br>
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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 <br>
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bookings by parliamentarians and their staff?' Myriam Robin wrote in an opinion piece for the Australian Financial Review.<br>
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'There's nothing like accruing status credits on someone else's <br>
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dime.'<br>
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Transport Minister Catherine King has since committed to a review <br>
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of flight bookings by government officials which will be conducted by the <br>
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Department of Finance this year, despite there being just two months left of 2024.<br>
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Politicians' preference for Qantas may also be put down to 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 <br>
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Alan Joyce, and fiancee Jodie Haydon)<br>
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Read More<br>
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EXCLUSIVE<br>
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The Flying Kanga-RORT - why you're footing the bill as airlines wine <br>
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and dine pollies in VIP club<br>
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Daily Mail Australia in August revealed that nearly every single federal politician in the country has accepted free membership <br>
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of the club.<br>
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Qantas and the Albanese government have both denied the airline enjoys any disproportionate level <br>
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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 <br>
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of Representatives and the Senate - revealed almost 93 per cent of the nation's leaders have been 'gifted' membership to the lavish, all-inclusive lounge.<br>
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The high profile ranks of government giftees include Prime <br>
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Minister Anthony Albanese as well as every <br>
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member of his 22-person Cabinet, his seven-person Outer Ministry and <br>
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all 12 assistant ministers.<br>
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While most politicians declared their Qantas' privileges as a 'gift', Labor <br>
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MP Marion Scrymgour listed her membership <br>
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as her 'Chairman Lounge entitlement'.<br>
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Daily Mail Australia in August revealed that nearly every single federal politician in the country has accepted free membership of <br>
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Qantas' exclusive Chairman's Lounge.<br>
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And it's not just politicians on the take, with more than 60 MPs - including Marles,<br>
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Chalmers, King, Bill Shorten, Zali Steggall and Tanya Plibersek - disclosing their spouses <br>
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have also been granted unfettered, independent access to Qantas' luxurious members 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 <br>
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six opulent VIP clubs - in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and Perth airports - are suitably discreet.<br>
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Though, once inside, the designer lounges are immediately more <br>
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ostentatious, with free à la carte fine dining, table service, a decadent selection of <br>
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wines and Champagne and a discreet army of dedicated lounge attendants.<br>
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Membership to the club is 'priceless' - it cannot <br>
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be bought for any amount of money nor obtained via any amount <br>
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of frequent flyers points.<br>
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Instead, each member is hand-picked and approved by the company's chief executive <br>
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and chairman.<br>
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Qantas<br>
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Australian politicians are