Australian PM Albanese defends himself from free flight upgrades accusation

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 on 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 per cent 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 (USD 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 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.

The Australian newspaper reported Albanese might have been in breach of 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.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton on Monday described the accusation that Albanese contacted Joyce to solicit free upgrades as a bit strange".

I'm not aware of anyone else having done it, Dutton told reporters.

Albanese said Dutton needed to explain why he had accepted a free flight from mining magnate Gina Rinehart in a private jet.

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 per cent 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.