Australian politicians are almost always opting to fly with Qantas on taxpayer-funded trips, despite Virgin offering cheaper tickets.<br>
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Federal MPs flew with the national carrier for 80 <br>
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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 cheapest flight, it also has to <br>
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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 Aussies can, but they can can receive lifetime status credits, which allows access to <br>
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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 the Australian Financial <br>
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Review.<br>
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'There's nothing like accruing status credits on someone else's dime.'<br>
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Transport Minister Catherine King has since committed <br>
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to a review of flight bookings by government officials which will <br>
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be conducted by the Department of Finance this year, despite <br>
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there being just two months 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, despite Virgin offering cheaper tickets.<br>
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(pictured is Anthony Albanese, with former Qantas boss Alan Joyce, and <br>
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fiancee Jodie Haydon)<br>
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EXCLUSIVE<br>
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The Flying Kanga-RORT - why you're footing the bill as airlines wine and dine pollies in VIP club<br>
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Daily Mail Australia in August revealed that nearly every single federal <br>
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politician in the country has accepted free membership of the club.<br>
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Qantas and the Albanese government have both denied the airline enjoys any <br>
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disproportionate 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 and the Senate <br>
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- 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 Minister Anthony Albanese as well as <br>
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every member of his 22-person Cabinet, his seven-person Outer Ministry and all 12 assistant ministers.<br>
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While most politicians declared their Qantas' privileges as a 'gift', Labor MP Marion Scrymgour <br>
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listed her membership as her 'Chairman Lounge entitlement'.<br>
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Daily Mail Australia in August revealed that nearly every single federal <br>
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politician in the country 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 than 60 MPs - <br>
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including Marles, Chalmers, King, Bill Shorten, Zali Steggall and Tanya Plibersek - disclosing their spouses have also <br>
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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 <br>
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the Chairman's Lounge has long been veiled in secrecy.<br>
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Even the entrances to each of the country's six opulent VIP <br>
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clubs - in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and <br>
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Perth airports - are suitably discreet.<br>
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Though, once inside, the designer lounges are immediately more ostentatious, <br>
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with free à la carte fine dining, table service, a <br>
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decadent selection of wines and Champagne and a discreet army <br>
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of dedicated lounge attendants.<br>
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Membership to the club is 'priceless' - it cannot 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 and chairman.<br>
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Qantas<br>
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My web blog: การจัดดอกไม้งานศพ <br>
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Australian politicians are