Peter Dutton demands answers on Qatar Airways decision in wake of Albanese Qantas perks furore

The Coalition is calling for Anthony Albanese to declare whether he acted “on behalf of Qantas” during the Government’s decision last year to block Qatar Airways’ bid for more flights into Australia.

There is mounting pressure on Mr Albanese to answer questions about his relationship with former Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce after a new book made a series of allegations regarding his travel with the airline.

Joe Aston wrote that Mr Albanese had received at least 22 flight upgrades for both work and personal travel – including while he was transport minister – and had allegedly directly contacted Mr Joyce for some of those.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton wants the Prime Minister to refer himself to the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

He suggested that, in exchange for the perks, Mr Albanese had acted in Qantas’ best interests when the Government blocked a Qatar Airways bid for more flights into Australia last year.

“If Qatar was flying on routes from Perth to Sydney or Perth to Melbourne or Perth to Brisbane at the moment, people in WA, people in the Northern Territory and in other parts of the country, would be paying lower airfares,” he told reporters in Dampier.

“But the Prime Minister made a decision which wasn’t properly explained at the time, which starved Qatar of the opportunity to come into our market, reduced competition, and therefore has held up the prices of airfares for too long.”

Government ministers, many of whom are silently frustrated at the distraction, have rallied to defend the PM.

Mr Albanese maintains he has acted appropriately and within the rules.

It was also revealed on Wednesday that bosses at the national anti-corruption commission were all given access to Qantas’s exclusive Chairman’s Lounge.

The NACC’s gift and disclosure logs reveal Commissioner Paul Brerton was gifted access in October 2023, as was chief executive Philip Reed and deputy commissioner Jaala Hinchcliffe.

Deputy commissioners Ben Gauntlett and Kylie Kilgour were both given access on February 2 this year.

Deputy commissioner Nicole Rose maintained her membership from her previous role as the boss of the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre. She also has access to the Virgin Beyond lounge.

Integrity campaigners have likened gifts and hospitality for politicians to tobacco donations, saying they should be banned outright.

Transparency advocate Sean Johnson said the idea that it was fine for politicians to accept gifts and other hospitality provided they disclose them was absurd.

“It’s a bit like with the tobacco industry (donating to political parties). Remember, you used to have a lot of Liberal politicians would say it’s a legal product, they pay taxes. And it’s like, is that the best argument that you’ve got?” he told The Nightly.

“Big deal, you comply with those (disclosure) obligations, but I don’t think the public would find it acceptable.”

Mr Johnson is a formal Liberal staffer but has put politicians of all stripes, including Mr Albanese and Mr Dutton, under scrutiny via his Open Politics website.

He said taking largesse was “such normalised behaviour” among politicians that they didn’t see any issue with it.

But it was now out of step with community expectations and should be banned, or at the very least, disclosed in greater detail with real penalties for breaches.

“I do think the only solution is a ban,” he said.

“Someone gives you something expensive, you’re going to want to help them in return … and I’d argue in Labor and Liberals’ case, it means protecting Qantas from competition, both domestic markets and internationally.

“They may not even be aware of what they’re doing, but it’s just nonsensical to argue that you can accept thousands dollars worth of benefits ... and it does not have an impact.”

Liberal senator Jane Hume said if the scandal involved any other minister, they would be “kicked out on their arse”.

She said Mr Albanese’s alleged behaviour involved “soliciting gifts”, not merely receiving them, which amounted to a breach of the ministerial code of conduct.

Cabinet minister Amanda Rishworth meanwhile said the Coalition was engaging in a “pile-on on the Prime Minister and his family” and turning the scandal into a “completely political” attack.

“The hypocrisy that Peter Dutton calls on the Prime Minister to answer questions but hasn’t explained his use of the Gina Rinehart’s private jet,” she said.

Colleague Mark Butler, a close confidante of Mr Albanese, said the Prime Minister had the cabinet’s “completely solid” support.