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 <br>
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for 80 per cent of work trips last year despite it not always being the cheapest route, 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, <br>
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it also has to be the most efficient, with Qantas offering the most routes <br>
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between major cities.<br>
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MPs are banned from accruing frequent flyer <br>
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points on taxpayer-funded trips like ordinary Aussies <br>
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can, but they can can receive lifetime status credits, which 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 bookings by parliamentarians <br>
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and their staff?' Myriam Robin wrote in an opinion piece for the <br>
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Australian Financial Review.<br>
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<b>'There's nothing like accruing status credits on someone else's dime.'</b><br>
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Transport Minister Catherine King has since committed to a review of flight bookings by government officials which will be conducted by the Department of Finance <br>
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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, despite <br>
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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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EXCLUSIVE<br>
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<u>The Flying Kanga-RORT - why you're footing the bill as airlines wine and dine pollies in VIP <br>
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club</u><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 the club.<br>
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Qantas and the Albanese government have both denied <br>
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the airline enjoys any 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 - revealed almost 93 per cent of the nation's leaders have been 'gifted' membership to the lavish, <br>
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all-inclusive lounge.<br>
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The high profile ranks of government giftees include Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as well as every <br>
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member of his 22-person Cabinet, his seven-person Outer Ministry and all 12 <br>
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assistant ministers.<br>
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While most politicians declared their Qantas' privileges as a <br>
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'gift', Labor MP Marion Scrymgour listed her membership 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 <br>
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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 - including Marles, Chalmers, King, Bill Shorten, <br>
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Zali Steggall and Tanya Plibersek - disclosing their spouses have also been granted <br>
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unfettered, independent access to Qantas' luxurious members only lounge.<br>
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Often touted as 'the most exclusive club in the country', <br>
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membership to 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 clubs - in Sydney, Melbourne, <br>
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Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and Perth airports - are suitably discreet.<br>
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Though, once inside, the designer lounges are immediately more ostentatious, with <br>
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free à la carte fine dining, table service, a decadent selection of wines and Champagne and a discreet army of <br>
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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 of frequent flyers points.<br>
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<b>Instead, each member is hand-picked and approved by the company's chief executive and chairman.</b><br>
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Qantas<br>
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Australian politicians are