Australian prime minister defends himself from an accusation that he asked for free flight upgrades

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese connected Tuesday said he had ever “acted successful a transparent and due way” aft a caller book claimed that he had many times requested free upgrades for individual flights connected Qantas Airways.

Albanese, who was carrier curate successful a erstwhile government, was accused successful a book extract released Monday of processing an inappropriately adjacent narration pinch Alan Joyce, who was Qantas main executive for 15 years until 2023.

Qantas is Australia's largest hose and was state-owned until nan 1990s. The Sydney-based hose is nan country's emblem bearer and must by rule stay astatine slightest 51% Australian owned.

“According to Qantas insiders, Albanese would liaise pinch Joyce straight astir his individual travel,” a published extract of nan book said. The insiders were not named.

Albanese said he had declared 22 free Qantas upgrades successful a registry of gifts to lawmakers weighted astatine much than 300 Australian dollars ($197). He noted guidance lawmaker Paul Fletcher had declared 69.

“I’ve declared everything successful accordance pinch each of nan rules,” Albanese told reporters.

“I have, astatine each times — astatine each times — acted successful a transparent and due way,” he added.

Albanese said connected Tuesday he only recalled 2 conversations pinch Joyce astir flights. Those flights did not impact individual travel.

“There’s nary accusation being made pinch immoderate specifics astatine each astir immoderate of this. None. None,” Albanese said.

Albanese noted nan book's author, Joe Aston, was a erstwhile guidance statement staffer and erstwhile Qantas employee. The book is titled “The Chairman’s Lounge: The Inside Story of How Qantas Sold Us Out.”

Joyce could not beryllium instantly contacted for comment. Qantas did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

The Australian newspaper reported Albanese mightiness person been successful breach of nan then-government’s codification of ministerial behaviour erstwhile he was carrier curate from 2007 until 2013.

The codification explicitly banned ministers from seeking aliases encouraging immoderate shape of gift successful their individual capacity.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton connected Monday described nan accusation that Albanese contacted Joyce to solicit free upgrades arsenic “a spot strange.”

“I’m not alert of anyone other having done it,” Dutton told reporters.

Albanese said Dutton needed to explicate why he had accepted a free formation from mining magnate Gina Rinehart successful a backstage jet.

“What you request to do is make judge you instrumentality to nan rules. I’ve done that astatine each times,” Albanese said.

Aston, who was until past twelvemonth a columnist astatine The Australian Financial Review, wrote that Qantas received much than 80% of national authorities spending connected home flights past year. The Australia Financial Review is portion of nan Nine Entertainment stable, which besides published nan book extract,

Aston writes that government's adjacent narration pinch Qantas explains nan determination past twelvemonth to cull Qatar Airways’ bid to double its services to Australia.