Amid pressure, the Prime Minister defends himself and his government against claims of preferential treatment from Qantas

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has sought to reassure his ministers amidst ongoing scrutiny regarding the Qantas flights upgrade controversy. During a meeting with his entire ministry on Wednesday, Albanese described himself as a victim of an unfair media campaign, insisting he has everything under control.

With the government facing another challenging week, Albanese reminded his colleagues that expense scandals often attract media attention, typically resulting in a flurry of accusations before eventually subsiding. He noted that past Labor leaders, including Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, faced similar media treatment.

According to sources who attended the meeting, Albanese stated, “The same thing happened to Kevin, the same thing to Julia, then Bill [Shorten], now me.” He assured his team that his office had meticulously checked records before releasing a statement denying any communication with former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce regarding flight upgrades.

While some attendees described Albanese’s speech as a “massive sook-up,” others defended his approach, viewing it as a calm and factual response highlighting the unique intensity of media scrutiny faced by Labor figures. Albanese referenced controversies like the trade union royal commission that had targeted Bill Shorten.

On Thursday, the media focus shifted towards the Coalition, with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton admitting that his office had requested flights from mining magnate Gina Rinehart’s team for a memorial service related to the Bali bombing in 2022.

Albanese categorically denied any communications regarding flight upgrades, stating, “I haven’t spoken to Alan in a very long time,” during a radio interview. He reiterated that he did not text, email, or call Joyce about upgrading flights, emphasising the lack of evidence supporting such claims.

The meeting took place prior to a fundraising event in Melbourne, attended by business leaders at The Ritz-Carlton hotel, with tickets costing upwards of $1,500.

Despite the confidentiality expected from ministerial meetings, Albanese’s grievances about media treatment were leaked, continuing a trend of disclosures regarding Labor’s handling of various issues, including upcoming census questions and potential changes to negative gearing.

The scrutiny intensified as Coalition figures, including Bridget McKenzie, who has been vocal in pursuing Albanese, were also put under the spotlight for potentially failing to declare flight upgrades. Dutton confirmed his office had arranged flights with Rinehart’s team due to a lack of commercial options and said he had declared all necessary details.

Albanese has faced mounting pressure following reports from the book The Chairman’s Lounge, which alleged that he received at least 22 free upgrades from Qantas between 2009 and 2022. The author, Joe Aston, declined to comment further on the matter.

In response to further allegations that former Qantas government affairs executive Andrew Parker managed Albanese’s flight upgrades, a government source dismissed the claims.

McKenzie announced plans to audit her travel history after previously claiming she had not received upgrades, only to later admit she had once. She is now seeking assistance from major domestic airlines to provide a complete record of her flight upgrades.

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher came to Albanese’s defence, stating that any changes to his travel bookings were handled in the same manner as those of any other member of parliament.