Albanese Qantas perks: Coalition considers Senate inquiry that would force Alan Joyce to explain ties to PM

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Albanese Qantas perks: Coalition considers Senate inquiry that would force Alan Joyce to explain ties to PM

The Coalition is considering forming a new Senate inquiry that would force former Qantas chief Alan Joyce to explain his relationship with Anthony Albanese.

The Prime Minister has come under scrutiny this week after a new book by journalist Joe Aston revealed Mr Albanese had received 22 flight upgrades worth tens of thousands of dollars while in Parliament — including while he was transport minister — and had allegedly personally asked Mr Joyce for some of those.

It was later revealed Mr Albanese had seemingly not properly disclosed flight upgrades given to his then-wife, former NSW deputy premier Carmel Tebbutt.

Mr Albanese has said he made the proper disclosures, but the Coalition says the optics of him accepting so many freebies from the major airline while transport minister were not great.

The Opposition’s transport spokeswoman Bridget McKenzie said she was open to forming a new Senate inquiry that would force Mr Joyce — who retired last year — to front up and explain.

“I think people are rightly furious about this,” she told the Today Show.

Senator McKenzie said it was a fair question if Mr Joyce needed to be brought before a Senate Inquiry.

“Let’s get (Alan Joyce) before the Senate”, she said.

The Coalition tried — and ******* — to get Mr Joyce before a Senate inquiry into Qantas last year, with his successor Vanessa Hudson ultimately left to answer questions.

Government ministers have rallied around Mr Albanese in the wake of this week’s revelations and accused the Coalition of playing politics.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth, on the panel with Senator McKenzie, said the whole thing had been a “complete pile on” on the Prime Minister.

“He’s publicly declared very, very clearly what he has been gifted, as have other MPs. And I think the pile on from the Coalition really shows that I think there’s something to ‘if you are in a glass house, don’t throw stones’,” she said.

She pointed to the fact both Senator McKenzie and opposition leader Peter Dutton had received upgrades.

Senator McKenzie said there was a difference between receiving one, and soliciting one.

“That’s what’s happened when (Mr Albanese) was the (transport) minister regulating the aviation sector. So it’s a serious job being transport minister, and he is seen to be soliciting freebies,” she said.

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