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

MELBOURNE, Australia — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday said he had always “acted in a transparent and appropriate way” after a new book claimed that he had repeatedly requested free upgrades for personal flights on Qantas Airways.

Albanese, who was transport minister in a previous government, was accused in a book released Monday of developing an inappropriately close relationship with Alan Joyce, who was Qantas chief executive for 15 years until 2023.

Qantas is Australia’s largest airline and was state-owned until the 1990s. The Sydney-based airline is the country’s flag carrier and must by law remain at least 51% Australian owned.

“According to Qantas insiders, Albanese would liaise with Joyce directly about his personal travel,” a published extract of the book said. The insiders were not named.

Albanese said he had declared 22 free Qantas upgrades in a register of gifts to lawmakers valued at more than 300 Australian dollars ($197). He noted opposition lawmaker Paul Fletcher had declared 69.

“I’ve declared everything in accordance with all of the rules,” Albanese told reporters.

“I have, at all times — at all times — acted in a transparent and appropriate way,” he added.

Albanese said on Tuesday he only recalled two conversations with Joyce about promotional flights. Those flights did not involve personal travel.

“There’s no accusation being made with any specifics at all about any of this. None. None,” Albanese said.

Albanese noted the book’s author, Joe Aston, was a former opposition party staffer and former Qantas employee. The book is titled “The Chairman’s Lounge: The Inside Story of How Qantas Sold Us Out.”

Joyce could not be immediately contacted for comment. Qantas did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton later accused Albanese of breaching the then-government’s code of ministerial conduct when he was transport minister from 2007 until 2013.

The code explicitly banned ministers from seeking or encouraging any form of gift in their personal capacity.

Dutton challenged Albanese to refer the allegations to the National Anti-Corruption Commission, the public sector watchdog that Albanese’s center-left government established last year.

“Australians are now starting to question the integrity and the truthfulness of their prime minister,” Dutton told reporters on Tuesday.

Albanese said Dutton needed to explain why he had accepted free flights from mining magnate Gina Rinehart in a private jet. Dutton declared three flights in Rinehart’s jet in 2022.

“What you need to do is make sure you stick to the rules. I’ve done that at all times,” Albanese said.

Aston, who was until last year a columnist at The Australian Financial Review, wrote that Qantas received more than 80% of federal government spending on domestic flights last year. The Australia Financial Review is part of the Nine Entertainment stable, which also published the book extract.

Aston writes that government’s close relationship with Qantas explains the decision last year to reject Qatar Airways’ bid to double its services to Australia.