According to a new book by Australian journalist Joe Aston, Albanese earned upgrades on 22 flights from 2009 to 2019 and made multiple calls to former CEO Alan Joyce.
Albanese said he followed the rules and was “completely transparent” with all of his disclosures during a press conference on Tuesday, although he would not say if he had previously discussed personal upgrades with Joyce.
Former Federal Transport Minister Albanese also criticized Aston, accusing him of “trying to sell a book.”
The Chairman’s Lounge: The Inside Story of How Qantas Sold Us Out is the title of our book.
According to Reuters, it is not uncommon for Australian politicians to receive complimentary airplane upgrades, even though they must disclose such gifts.
During a news conference on Tuesday, Albanese stated that he did remember speaking with Joyce twice on flights that did not include personal travel, but he would not confirm if he had directly discussed upgrades with Joyce. He also mentioned that the Labor Party had funded some of the improvements.
“I have behaved honorably, in a completely appropriate manner, and in compliance with the regulations during my time in public life,” he stated.
