Two federal lawmakers have stated their intention to withdraw their memberships with Qantas’ Chairman Lounge and Virgin Atlantic’s Beyond Lounge in an effort to rebuild public trust.
Joe Aston’s book The Chairman’s Lounge said that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had personally contacted Qantas and former CEO Alan Joyce for complimentary upgrades, sparking a scandal involving politicians from both parties in parliament who received benefits from the airlines.
“Airlines work in a highly regulated sector which is subject to government policy and ministerial decisions,” says independent lawmaker Allegra Spender, who is spearheading the effort to halt the overhaul.
She made an announcement about terminating her own VIP lounge memberships with Qantas and Virgin.
“Parliamentarians should not be taking free upgrades from Qantas or Virgin,” according to her.
Government policy and ministerial choices greatly impact the airline industry’s highly regulated environment.
When lawmakers accept free upgrades from the very businesses they are tasked with overseeing, the public naturally loses faith in their ability to make unbiased choices.
“The best way to restore public trust is to simply end the upgrades.”
In an effort to prevent senators and MPs from receiving complimentary upgrades, Spender will be contacting Qantas and Virgin via letter.
To further clarify what MPs are and are not allowed to accept, she has also requested a revision of the Ministerial Code of Conduct.
“Any other interests where a conflict of interest with a Member’s public duties could foreseeably arise or be seen to arise” and gifts above $750 must be disclosed by legislators.
“This scandal has shone a light on airlines, but the integrity issues are much broader,” he added.
Also leaving the elite, invite-only Chairman’s Lounge is independent MP Helen Haines.
Albanese acknowledged to Joyce last week that he had inquired about two non-business visits, but he denied ever requesting a complimentary upgrade.
Not only that, but he insisted that no one on his team had, “to my knowledge,” submitted the request in his stead.
In accordance with legislative regulations, he has consistently claimed that all of his flights and upgrades have been reported.
Peter Dutton, leader of the opposition party, has joined the chorus of voices criticizing Albanese, while simultaneously acknowledging that he, too, received two complimentary upgrades for what he claimed were business visits.
Among those journeys, one was on an unscheduled plane.
Jason Clare, the minister of education, has confessed to contacting Qantas and requesting an upgraded flight from Sydney to Singapore in 2019 so he could visit his family following leg surgery.
While the prime minister denies the accusation, rumors have circulated that Qantas had an influence on the Albanese government to veto Qatar Airways’ plan to increase flights into Australia.
