Sunrise presenter Nat Barr has questioned why seven Labor Ministers and Deputy Ministers were given upgrades to Qantas flights after Qatar Airways was prevented from expanding in Australia.
Parliamentary statements from Mark Butler, Bill Shorten, Mark Dreyfus, Anika Wells, Pat Conroy, Matt Kogh and Andrew Giles revealed that politicians received flight upgrades after Labour’s controversial decision.
On 10 July 2023, the Labor Government rejected a proposal by Qatar Airways to add 28 additional Australian routes, 21 additional flights per week.
Experts believed Qatar’s expansion would have reduced airfares by 40 percent and could have boosted the country’s tourism industry by a whopping $788 million.
Qantas flight upgrades, on both domestic and international travel, were provided in the months following the rejection of Qatar’s proposal.
On several occasions, Albanese and his Transport Minister Catherine King had met former Qantas boss Alan Joyce before the Qatar blockade.
The proposal was not even brought to cabinet, with Ms King explaining that Qatar Airways was prevented from expanding in Australia because it was “not in the national interest”.
Health Minister Mark Butler accepted a business class upgrade on a private Qantas flight from Melbourne to Adelaide just weeks after Ms King’s decision.
The Qantas flight upgrades to seven Labor Ministers and Deputy Ministers were provided just months after Transport Minister Catherine King (pictured with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese) blocked Qatar Airways’ expansion into Australia.
Qatar Airways’ proposal to add 28 additional Australian routes, which was believed to dramatically reduce airfare costs and boost the country’s tourism industry, was rejected in July 2023.
Butler defended his update on Monday, claiming that he had declared all of his updates “in accordance with the rules.”
“I think I’ve gotten four in the last 10 years and they’ve been declared according to the rules,” Butler told Sunrise host Natalie Barr.
“They have all been registered in a long-established system.”
Mr Barr questioned the Health Minister whether it was “doubtful” ministers received updates from Qantas after Qatar was prevented from expanding in the country.
“If the main opposition is locked out of business and ministers receive upgrades in the weeks afterward, that is doubtful,” Barr asked.
“I’m not sure what the charge is, Nat,” Mr. Butler replied.
‘We fly with Qantas and Virgin several times a week. This happens after governments make decisions that affect airlines all the time. They’ve done it for years and years.
“That’s why we have a rigorous reporting system, and I have complied with it, as have my colleagues.”
Butler defended Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after his relationship with Joyce was questioned.
Former Australian Financial Review columnist Joe Aston claimed in his new book, The Chairman’s Lounge, that Albanese personally approached Joyce about dozens of free upgrades on Qantas flights.
“He’s held several press conferences in recent days where he’s been asked repeatedly about this,” Butler said.
‘Declared (updates) in a timely manner, according to the system, as politicians across the political spectrum have done for years.
“I’m not sure what accusation Peter Dutton has made beyond mud-slinging, but the Prime Minister has complied with all the rules in place for many years.”
Health Minister Mark Butler (R) defended his Qantas upgrade, which he obtained on a private flight just weeks after Ms King’s decision, claiming he declared it “in line with the rules”.
NDIS Minister Bill Shorten also declared in his personal record of interests a “free, unsolicited upgrade to first class” in August 2023 on an international flight on Emirates, an airline that is an international partner of Qantas.
A month later, Sports Minister Anika Wells, along with her chief of staff, received upgrades on their Qantas flight to Europe.
In November 2023, Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs Matt Keogh got a “free upgrade from business class to first class” on a Qantas flight from London to Singapore.
That same month, Andrew Giles, former Immigration Minister, received three upgrades on separate Qantas flights.
Defense Industry Minister Pat Conroy was upgraded on his flight between Los Angeles and Sydney in December, while Attorney General Mark Dreyfus was upgraded to first class on his flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne in February this year.
It comes after Aston’s book revealed Albanese received at least 22 free Qantas upgrades from economy class for personal trips and also for his family.
Butler also defended the Prime Minister (left) after his relationship with former Qantas boss Alan Joyce (right) was questioned.
The prime minister told reporters on Sunday that he had declared all the improvements he received.
“From time to time, parliamentarians receive promotions, the important thing is that they declare themselves,” said Mr Albanese.
‘All mine have been declared. I note that several of them go back a very, very long period of time. All of them have been declared appropriate.