Joe Aston got the kind of book launch every first time <br>
<br>
author dreams of - massive amounts of free publicity online, in newspapers <br>
<br>
and on TV and radio. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
And it was all thanks to Anthony Albanese's ill-informed attack on Aston over what was written in his book, The Chairman's Lounge - <br>
<br>
The Inside Story of how Qantas sold us out.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Despite the resultant terrible publicity - which has led to him being called 'upgrade Albo' - and calls for an inquiry,<br>
<br>
Aston told Daily Mail Australia his book is 'not a hit job on Anthony Albanese'.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Aston insisted he's 'not trying to get a scalp', but reiterated <br>
<br>
that the Prime Minister 'had a direct line to Alan Joyce'.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The book claims Mr Albanese got 22 upgrades from <br>
<br>
economy on Qantas flights by personally requesting them from the airline's <br>
<br>
then CEO Mr Joyce - which the Prime Minister has categorically <br>
<br>
denied.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
According to unnamed Qantas 'insiders', 11 of the 22 <br>
<br>
flights Mr Albanese got upgrades for were 'privately funded' and <br>
<br>
included overseas trips to Rome, London, Los Angeles and Honolulu. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
But instead of addressing the claim, Mr Albanese chose to shoot the messenger and, in turn, shot <br>
<br>
himself in the foot. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
He said Aston was using the accusations to sell books and said he <br>
<br>
was hiding his employment history. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'I don't see declarations that he's a former Liberal Party staffer… I don't see declarations he's a former <br>
<br>
Qantas employee,' the Prime Minister said. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
But before the book even gets to the contents page there is a photo of Aston that <br>
<br>
refers to him as the then-Qantas corporate communications <br>
<br>
senior adviser. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Joe Aston (pictured) got the kind of book launch every first time author dreams of - <br>
<br>
massive amounts of free publicity online, in newspapers and on TV <br>
<br>
and radio<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Anthony Albanese (right) is pictured with his fiance Jodie Haydon (left) and then Qantas CEO Alan Joyce on March 31, 2023 in Sydney, Australia<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
And the first chapter of the book reveals that he worked for then-Liberal <br>
<br>
MP Bruce Baird, who held the southern Sydney seat of Cook before Scott Morrison. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'My professional history is not a secret or not disclosed, it's <br>
<br>
in the first line of the first page of the book,' Aston said on Tuesday night, just before his book launch. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Though he was grateful for the free publicity Mr Albanese's response <br>
<br>
gave the book, Aston was still 'staggered' at the untrue <br>
<br>
claims about him the Prime Minister made. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'He's under enormous pressure and I know, I've seen this many times <br>
<br>
with public figures and leaders who struggle to see their own part in it, the terrible circumstances that they <br>
<br>
create,' he said.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Read More<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<strong>Extravagant Qantas perk Anthony Albanese FAILED to declare <br>
<br>
is revealed... after two days of denials</strong><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Asked if Mr Albanese had been poorly advised in his attack, Aston, who is a former Australian Financial Review columnist, wonders if the Prime Minister 'even listens to advice at this point'.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'All he's doing is talking around the issue and he's blaming me and he's blaming <br>
<br>
other MP's for also taking upgrades (on Qantas flights).<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'He's avoiding the only thing that he can't talk about, which is, did you ask Qantas for confirmed upgrades on your private <br>
<br>
holidays when you were the Transport Minister?<br>
<br>
The answer is "yes" and he's desperately trying <br>
<br>
to avoid saying it.'<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Smelling blood, Opposition leader Peter Dutton said the Prime Minister <br>
<br>
should refer himself to the anti-corruption commission over <br>
<br>
the flight upgrades.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Coming on top of Mr Albanese's tone deaf purchase of a $4.3million clifftop <br>
<br>
mansion while so many people are struggling to pay their mortgage or rent, the latest blow to his credibility has led to calls <br>
<br>
for him to resign.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>Aston refuses to be drawn on this, though. </b><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'I never expected this (part of the book) to even this part to get this far.<br>
<br>
I really am shocked at how it's blown up.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<u><b>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is pictured with the then Qantas CEO Alan Joyce</b></u><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Anthony Albanese is pictured on August 14, 2023 as Qantas unveiled its <br>
<br>
Yes23 livery in support of a Yes vote in the Indigenous Voice to <br>
<br>
Parliament referendum <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Among the movers and shakers at Joe Aston's book launch in the ritzy Hemmesphere club <br>
<br>
in Sydney was Tabcorp director David Gallop (pictured)<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>Paul Barry (pictured in blue shirt), the host of <br>
<br>
the ABC's Media Watch show, was also at the launch</b><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'So to the extent that it has, I would say ... anyone who reads the book <br>
<br>
will learn that this book is not a hit job on Anthony Albanese.<br>
<br>
This book is about Qantas. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'Anthony Albanese is an example of how Qantas influences politicians on both sides <br>
<br>
of the aisle, Labor, Liberal, National, you name it.<br>
<br>
They've been doing it for more than a generation.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'They're the best influence peddler in Australia.<br>
<br>
I'm not here trying to get a scalp. That's not what this book is about and it <br>
<br>
never was.'<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
But the conversation Daily Mail Australia had with Aston mirrors the conversations being had across Australia and <br>
<br>
eventually winds up back on Mr Albanese. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'Even I've underestimated how fed up the public is with the freebie mindset of politicians,' he said.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Guests at Joe Aston's book launch on Tuesday night are pictured pointing for emphasis <br>
<br>
or to someone they recognise<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>There was no shortage of free alcohol (pictured) <br>
<br>
available at the launch of Joe Aston's book </b><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Joe Aston is pictured in the exclusive Hemmesphere <br>
<br>
club in Sydney, where his book The Chairman's Lounge was launched<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'And unfortunately for Albanese, he's been in politics a long time and that kind of behaviour is quite <br>
<br>
normalised to him, is what I've seen. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'I mean, he loves the free concert tickets and sitting at the front row of the Australian Open Tennis. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'I went to the Australian Open Tennis as a journalist almost every year for 12 years <br>
<br>
and he was the only Prime Minister (I saw there).<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'Those tickets are worth thousands of dollars to sit in the front row of the International Grand Slam.<br>
<br>
He's the first Prime Minister who I've ever seen do that.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'That to me is a sign that he doesn't quite get what it looks like to others when he's on the gravy train. And I think (the claims in the book <br>
<br>
are) just another example of that.'<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
In Australian politics it's regular practise for an MP's travel to be <br>
<br>
booked in economy, then someone in their office phones the airline <br>
<br>
and asks if their flight can be upgraded. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The difference with the Prime Minister is that 'he had a very direct line to Alan Joyce,' Aston said.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'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>
<br>
you'll get upgraded.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'This is different. This is a confirmed upgrade where the ticket is <br>
<br>
converted and you are guaranteed. You're not going to the airport <br>
<br>
crossing your fingers going "Geez, I hope there is a spare seat".<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'You're guaranteed. You turn up knowing you're getting <br>
<br>
a seat and the only person at Qantas who can issue those <br>
<br>
types of upgrades is the CEO. No other executive can do that.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b><u>'So it is beyond question that Alan joints <br>
<br>
authorised these upgrades (for Anthony Albanese).'</u></b><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Aston enjoyed many upgrades to the pointy end of planes during his time as a travel journalist, and understands the attraction for politicians to get up there. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'These things are tempting and it's human nature too.<br>
<br>
Once you've experienced the front of the plane, it's very hard to go back.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'For politicians, they run around with all these staff and they've got chauffeured cars and they fly in business, but they don't get paid like <br>
<br>
CEOs ...<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'They're not in a situation where they can afford to go flying around <br>
<br>
in the front of the plane on personal travel. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'A normal person would say "Therefore I won't (fly business class). But (for politicians) it's a culture of entitlement.'<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Aston is careful to point out that most people would say politicians are 'very well paid compared to the average worker'.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Late on Wednesday night, a spokeswoman Mr Albanese said 'The Prime Minister did not ever call Alan Joyce seeking an upgrade'.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>'All travel has been appropriately declared and is a matter of public record.'</b><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b><u>Daily Mail Australia has contacted Qantas for comment. </u></b><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>WHAT IS THE QANTAS CHAIRMAN'S LOUNGE?</b><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The Qantas Chairman's Lounge is an invitation-only club approved by the company chairman, with the guest list a closely-guarded secret.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<strong>It has been dubbed 'the most exclusive club in the country' and comes with a distinct black card.</strong><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Inside you will find expensive wood and brass furnishings, wool carpet and marble flooring, all bathed in natural light. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<u><strong>Facilities may also include spas, showers and an assortment of books and magazines.</strong></u><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<i><u>Members may bring in two guests at a time. </u></i><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Lounge attendants personally alert you when your flight is ready to board, and your personal preferences are logged for each flight. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<strong>Membership also entitles you to first-class facilities at Qantas partner airlines.</strong><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<u>Source: Executive Traveller</u><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Anthony Albanese<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Here is my site; <a href="https://Wiki.streampy.at/index.php?title=User:SergioEat17529">ร้านขายพวงหรีดใกล้ฉัน</a>
Joe Aston got the kind of