Anthony Albanese has tried to claim his relationship with <br>
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Alan Joyce was a strictly professional one between a Prime <br>
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Minister and a corporate titan, as he battles claims the Qantas boss was his 'personal travel agent' for free flights and upgrades.<br>
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However that characterization of the relationship was at <br>
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odds with that made by Mr Joyce, who said he was 'good mates' with <br>
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Mr Albanese and had been 'for years'.<br>
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In the wake of the explosive claims that the Prime Minister had Mr Joyce arrange free tickets and upgrades, Mr Albanese distanced himself from the Qantas chief.<br>
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When asked about about their relationship on Sunday Mr Albanese implied it was purely in a professional capacity, <br>
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having been Transport Minister and shadow transport spokesperson before becoming Prime Minister. <br>
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'He (Joyce) was the CEO of the national airline ...<br>
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I had the same relationship with him that I have with John Borghetti as the CEO of Virgin,' Mr Albanese said.<br>
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That assessment was at odds with the many photos showing Mr Albanese <br>
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and Mr Joyce apparently greatly enjoying each other's company. <br>
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Mr Albanese and Mr Joyce were pictured in high spirits on the red carpet <br>
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at the Qantas 100th Gala Dinner in March last year.<br>
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In photos from the event, Mr Joyce proudly walks the red carpet with one arm around the prime minister <br>
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and the other around Mr Albanese's partner, Jodie Haydon.<br>
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Just five months later, in August, a smiling Mr Albanese attended Qantas's unveiling of it's special 'Yes 23' <br>
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emblazoned airplanes for the Voice referendum.<br>
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Former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce jovially walked the red carpet <br>
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with one arm around the prime minister and the other around his partner, Jodie <br>
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Haydon for a special anniversary event last year<br>
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Mr Joyce was seen touching Mr Albanese's arm, with the <br>
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PM bursting into laughter.<br>
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Even when Scott Morrison was PM, Mr Joyce enjoyed an apparently close relationship with Mr Albanese <br>
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as the pair stood close together at the launch of the Qantas' landmark <br>
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Perth to London flight in March, 2018. <br>
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During a Senate hearing in September 2023,<br>
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Mr Joyce said he had been 'friends for years' with Mr <br>
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Albanese.<br>
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Asked about why he gifted Mr Albanese's son Nathan a membership to the prestigious and exclusive Chairman's <br>
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Lounge Mr Joyce refused to confirm or deny but talked up his relationship with the Prime Minister.<br>
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'I've been good mates with Albo for some time,' Mr Joyce <br>
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said. <br>
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However, the then Qantas CEO refused to say whether he <br>
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lobbied the Prime Minister on the controversial decision to lock competitor <br>
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Qatar Airways out of domestic routes.<br>
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It has since emerged in a new book about Qantas, The Chairman's Lounge, by former Australian Financial Review columnist Joe Aston that Ms Haydon is <br>
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also a Chairman's Lounge member. <br>
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Mr Albanese and Mr Joyce also appeared to greatly enjoying each other's company at a Qantas event in August last <br>
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year<br>
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Reports have emerged in a new book Mr Albanese received 22 <br>
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upgrades from economy from Qantas and he would liaise personally with the former airline boss for them. <br>
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Aston also alleged Mr Albanese directly contacted Mr Joyce while <br>
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in his various parliamentary jobs to ask for special upgrades for himself <br>
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or his family.<br>
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According to unnamed Qantas 'insiders' 11 of the 22 flights Mr Albanese received upgrades for were 'privately funded' and included overseas trips to Rome, London, Los Angeles and Honolulu, <br>
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with some being for holidays.<br>
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Mr Albanese insisted on Tuesday that the London flights was for work purposes and all were 'declared in the <br>
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appropriate way'. <br>
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Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has leapt on the accusations describing <br>
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Mr Albanese as being the 'best friend' of Mr <br>
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Joyce. <br>
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Mr Dutton told Sky News on Monday night it <br>
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was 'strange' Mr Albanese had directly contacted <br>
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Mr Joyce to request upgrades while holding a regulatory <br>
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position in the transport sector.<br>
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'If you're the Transport Minister and you're picking up the phone to one of the most important stakeholders in the <br>
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portfolio asking for a free upgrade, then again, <br>
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I think the Prime Minister would be able to answer those questions more effectively than anyone else <br>
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because I'm not aware of anyone else having done it,' Mr Dutton said.<br>
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It has since emerged that Ms Haydon also has membership of the Qantas <br>
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Chairman's Lounge<br>
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The Prime Minister denied frequently asking Mr Joyce for upgrades on Tuesday at <br>
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press conference in the NSW city of Newcastle.<br>
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'The only discussions that I can recall with Alan Joyce certainly were not <br>
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discussed through calls - we discussed the first flight from Australia to Dubai <br>
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on the A380,' he said.<br>
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'I've declared everything in accordance with all of the rules.'<br>
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Aston was asked on Monday night by ABC interviewer Sarah Ferguson about <br>
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how confident he was that Mr Albanese had made calls personally to Mr Joyce for upgrades.<br>
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'I am very comfortable with my sourcing,' Aston said.<br>
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Asked whether he thought Mr Albanese had been influenced by Mr Joyce's lobbying to block UAE airline Qatar <br>
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domestically Aston said it was 'implausible' to think that the Prime Minister's office <br>
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had nothing to do with the decision.<br>
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Mr Albanese's son Nathan, 24, has reportedly <br>
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also been granted access to the Qantas Chairman's Lounge (pictured,<br>
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Mr Albanese and son Nathan in May, 2022)<br>
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'It's very hard to imagine a decision of any political sensitivity in the Albanese government that would not go through the Prime Minister's office,' Aston replied.<br>
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He noted the opening up of the Australian domestic market Qatar had <br>
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seemingly been sailing through with Transport Minister Catherine <br>
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King speaking warmly about the proposal until 'everything changed' <br>
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to stop it dead in tracks. <br>
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Ms King repeatedly denied in parliament the decision to block Qatar was <br>
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due to Qantas lobbying her or any Labor colleagues.<br>
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Despite Mr Albanese claiming he declared every upgrade received from Qantas the <br>
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Australian Financial Review reported on Tuesday that he failed to do for his former wife Carmel Tebbutt when the two traveled together.<br>
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Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has questioned the alleged personal requests Mr Albanese <br>
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made to Mr Joyce while in his various parliamentary jobs<br>
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Even when Scott Morrison was prime minister, Mr Joyce <br>
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appeared to have a close relationship with Mr Albanese (the <br>
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pair are pictured at an event in 2019)<br>
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Sky New host Sharri Markson on Monday night labeled Mr Joyce as 'basically Albanese's <br>
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personal travel agent.'<br>
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'This is all a question of integrity. Most Australians struggle to afford even an economy airfare.<br>
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They'd never be able to afford the luxury of business class.<br>
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It's out of our reach,' she said.<br>
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'Can Albanese truly be impartial when it comes to making decisions about Qantas when he's been getting tens of thousands of dollars worth of free upgrades to business class?<br>
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The revelations puts the decision he made as <br>
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transport minister and prime minister under a cloud.<br>
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'Aside from the integrity issues, this revelation is also politically lethal.<br>
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Albanese took care to curate a self-image <br>
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of a housing commission boy who made it. But now the perception is cementing of a long-term pollie enjoying the perks of public office.'<br>
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Another awkward paradox of Mr Albanese's apparent close relationship <br>
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with Mr Joyce is that the Labor leader in a trade unionist advocate while Qantas attempted to break the power of the Transport Workers Union by sacking 1700 staff during Covid. <br>
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The sacking has since been ruled illegal by Federal Court in a case brought by the union with Qantas facing possible hundreds of thousands in compensation payouts. <br>
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The friendship however did find one perhaps unlikely defender in semi-retired <br>
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3AW radio star Neil Mitchell. <br>
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'Quick test: upgrade Albo is a bad look,' Mitchell wrote on X.<br>
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'But does anybody believe he was seriously compromised <br>
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by having Alan Joyce as a bestie? Time to rewrite rules governing politicians.' <br>
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WHAT IS THE QANTAS CHAIRMAN'S CLUB?<br>
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The Qantas Chairman's Lounge is an invitation-only club approved by the company chairman, <br>
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with the guest list a closely-guarded secret.<br>
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It has been dubbed ¿the most exclusive club in the country¿ and comes with a distinct black card.<br>
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Members include senior-ranking MPs including ministers, state premiers and the <br>
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Prime Minister, leaders of major unions and sporting groups,<br>
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Qantas ambassadors, selected A-list celebrities, major corporate figures and <br>
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high-profile media personalities.<br>
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The clubs can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra,<br>
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Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide but are not signed, you have to know where to look.<br>
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Inside you will find expensive wood and brass furnishings,<br>
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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 <br>
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premium array of beers, spirits and Australian wines. Wine bottles are often given as departing gift<br>
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Facilities may also include spas, showers and an assortment of books and magazines.<br>
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Members may bring in two guests at a time. <br>
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Lounge attendants personally alert you when your flight is to board and your personal <br>
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preferences are logged for each flight. Membership also entitles you to first-class facilities at Qantas partner airlines.<br>
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free upgrades where they are available and a hotline to Qantas's customer service <br>
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for any and all travel needs. <br>
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Source: Executive Traveller<br>
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LondonAnthony AlbaneseQantas<br>
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Anthony Albanese has tried to