Adam Bandt said people “can make their own judgement” about him enjoying an exclusive, discretionary benefit from Qantas in a tense exchange with a journalist.
The Greens leader has been discovered as a member of the Qantas Chairman’s Lounge, a collection of invitation-only waiting areas and catering services offered by the airline in what has been called “Australia’s most exclusive club”.
On Monday, ABC Radio National stand-in presenter Steve Cannane questioned Bandt that he was “enjoying free hospitality from a company that has illegally laid off hundreds of workers”.
Mr Bandt responded: “And I will declare it and people can make their own judgment about what they think about it.”
Cannane was referring to the Federal Court ruling that Qantas illegally sacked 1,700 workers at the start of the Covid pandemic in a case brought by the Transport Workers Union.
Commenting on the dismissal in June 2020, Bandt called it a “devastating day for thousands of Qantas workers and their families” in a Facebook post. “We are thinking of you,” he wrote.
Cannane challenged Mr Bandt further saying: “Don’t you think I should be a little more pure on this and just not accept their (Qantas) hospitality?
Bandt said he always made statements on issues like this and argued that the party’s policies of heavily taxing large corporations showed the benefits were not impacting the Greens.
Greens leader Adam Bandt said people “can make their own judgement” about whether he enjoys an exclusive, discretionary benefit from Qantas.
Bandt has been discovered as a member of the Qantas Chairman’s Lounge, an invitation-only set of waiting areas and catering services offered by the airline that has been called “Australia’s most exclusive club”.
Bandt was spotted in September flying business class from Melbourne to Canberra sitting next to Senator Jacqui Lambie.
Albanian government ministers Tim Watts and Catherine King were on the same flight, but they traveled with the masses in economy class.
It has previously been reported that Bandt chooses to take frequent business flights despite his party’s core policy of reducing C02 emissions.
Flying business class emits about three times more carbon than economy class because the seats take up more space and many of them are empty, according to a World Bank study.
Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather said last year he had avoided membership in the Chairman’s Lounge and refuses to travel in business class.
Earlier this year, Mr. Bandt’s flying habits sparked controversy.
Bandt’s flying habits have been a source of controversy after it was revealed that he frequently opts for business class and has even taken private planes to election events.
Bandt used two private jets during the 2022 federal election campaign, ferrying taxpayers with the $23,000 bill.
One flight was between Queensland regional hubs Townsville and Rockhampton on March 7, but he also boarded a $15,000 private jet along the busy Brisbane to Canberra route to attend the launch of his election campaign. game.
Bandt is not the only politician in the hot seat when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was asked if he had included his son and his partner as “plus one” members of the Chairman’s Club.
He is also asked about free flight upgrades, including an international one he reportedly received from Qantas, in the new book The Chairman’s Lounge, written by former Australian Financial Review columnist Joe Aston.
The Greens are licking their electoral wounds following the Queensland state election, where they are fighting to retain their two seats after saying they intended to triple their representation in parliament.
With 72 per cent of the vote counted, they appear to have retained the Brisbane seat of Maiwar, but suffered a 4.6 per cent swing towards the ALP.
However, they remain behind South Brisbane, which has seen a huge 12.4 per cent swing towards Labor with 64 per cent of votes counted.