Federal Health Minister Mark Butler has admitted during a grilling by Nat Barr on Sunrise on Wednesday morning that he enjoyed free flight upgrades following the government’s decision to block a Qatar Airways bid to expand services in the country.
Butler was asked about his own free travel upgrades, as the scandal surrounding revelations Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had personally requested the upgrades from former Qantas boss Alan Joyce continues to dog the government.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Nat Barr grills Federal Health Minister Mark Butler over Qantas upgrades scandal.
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Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said on Tuesday Albanese should refer himself to the National Anti-Corruption Commission over the free flight upgrades, a call Albanese has dismissed.
Albanese has come under fire after excerpts were published from the upcoming book by former Australian Financial Review columnist Joe Aston, The Chairman’s Longue: The Inside Story of How Qantas Sold Us Out, by the SMH at the weekend, which detailed 22 free upgrades on economy tickets.
In the book, Aston claims the free upgrades occurred from 2009, when Albanese was the Rudd government’s federal Transport Minister.
On Wednesday, Butler joined Nat Barr on Sunrise, where he was quizzed about his own travel perks.
“The Daily Telegraph reports that you accepted a Qantas upgrade for a private flight, just weeks after that Qatar decision (to block Qatar’s bid to expand services in Australia) was announced. Did you?” Barr asked.
“I have declared all of the upgrades. I think I have received four over the last 10 years and they have been declared in accordance with the rules.
“When I checked my records and, yes, I did on a flight from Melbourne to Adelaide on a weekend. They have been declared in accordance with the long, established system.”
Barr pressed Butler on the issue.
“If the main (Qantas) opposition is blocked … and the ministers get upgrades in the weeks after that, is that a bit dodgy?”
“I am not sure what the allegation is, Nat. We fly all the time. We fly Qantas and Virgin … this happens after decisions that are made by governments that impact airlines all the time.
“They have for years and years. That’s why we have a rigorous system of declaration. I have complied with that and my colleagues have.”
Barr turned her attention to the claims Albanese was liaising personally with former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce.
“So should the Prime Minister clearly answer if he was picking up the phone and talking to the head of Qantas and asking for upgrades?” Barr asked.
“He has answered that, Nat,” Butler said.
“He’s done a number of press conferences over recent days where he’s been repeatedly questioned about this, about upgrades that he declared in a timely fashion, in accordance with the system as politicians right across the political spectrum have done for years and years now.
“He’s answered these questions very clearly, Nat … the Prime Minister has complied with all of the rules that have been in place for many, many years,” he said.