Anthony Albanese may have breached the ministerial code of conduct by allegedly asking former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce for upgrades during his time as a minister.
A new book by former Australian Financial Review columnist Joe Aston reveals Mr Albanese accepted free flight upgrades worth tens of thousands of dollars while he was either transport minister or shadow transport minister.
The book also alleges Mr Albanese directly contacted Mr Joyce while in his various parliamentary jobs to ask for special upgrades for himself or his family.
Mr Albanese served as Transport Minister from December 2007 to September 2013 under Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.
The standards of ministerial ethics, which forbids ministers from looking for or encouraging gifts of any kind for their personal benefit, was released by Mr Rudd in December 2007.
Ms Gillard later adopted the code in September 2010, meaning Mr Albanese was subject to its rules as Transport Minister,
The code outlines expected conduct for ministers regarding gifts:
Ministers, in their official capacity, may therefore accept customary official gifts, hospitality, tokens of appreciation, and similar formal gestures in accordance with the relevant guidelines, it said.
But must not seek or encourage any form of gift in their personal capacity.
Ministers must also comply with the requirements of the parliament and the prime minister relating to the declaration of gifts.
It is has been claimed in a new book that when Mr Albanese was transport and shadow transport minister he contacted Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce to arrange his personal travel (pictured Mr Albanese (left) with Alan Joyce)
The standards of ministerial ethics dictate a minister cannot seek or encourage any form of gift in their personal capacity (pictured Anthony Albanese, right, Alan Joyce centre, with the PMs fiancé Jodie Haydon)
At a media conference in Newcastle on Tuesday, Mr Albanese claimed Mr Aston was using the accusations to sell books and accused him of hiding his connection to the Liberal party.
I just make the point that the person who is trying to sell a book, and fair enough..., Mr Albanese said.
I dont see declarations that hes a former Liberal Party staffer for a number of senior members of the Liberal party, including Joe Hockey and Bruce Baird.
I dont see declarations in June, just a few months ago, he was a guest - him and John Howard - at a Liberal Party fundraiser in the electorate of Wentworth.
Aston responded on social media, pointing out that he wrote about his job with Mr Baird in the opening chapter of The Chairmans Lounge.
It is disclosed on the first line of the first page of the book, and has never been a secret, Mr Aston wrote.
This is beyond desperate from the PM.
Mr Albanese also also took aim at Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.
My flights were commercial with Qantas or Virgin or Emirates, Mr Albanese said.
They were all declared in the appropriate way. I didnt have to declare any flights on private jets owned by billionaires like Gina Rinehart because I havent engaged in it, as simple as that.
Its up to Mr Dutton to explain how those flights were organised to private parties.
In June, Mr Dutton was flown on Mrs Rineharts private jet to an event in the NSW town of Tamworth.
However, Mr Albanese seems to have forgotten a 2023 private helicopter trip he took with Victorian Premier Dan Andrews.
Last January, Mr Albanese was flown in Lindsay Foxs private helicopter to a five-hour barbecue with the trucking magnate and Mr Andrews at the billionaires seaside mansion in Victoria.
Mr Dutton was obsessed with attacking him personally, Mr Albanese claimed.
Peter Dutton seems to be obsessed with making attacks on myself and my family, Mr Albanese said.
My obsession is with helping Australians every day.
Mr Albanese also suggested some MPs were hiding what they own in trusts.
I dont have a trust, Ive never had any shares in any company, he said.
Its up to others to say why they have trusts, why it is we dont know what they own, what they invest in. I have not done that, I have acted with integrity.
The Prime Minister also denied frequently asking Mr Joyce for upgrades.
The only discussions that I can recall with Alan Joyce certainly were not discussed through calls – we discussed the first flight from Australia to Dubai on the A380, he said.
Opposition transport spokeswoman Bridget McKenzie believes Mr Albanese needs to tell the Australian public if it is true or not (pictured the book that makes the claims)
Ive declared everything in accordance with all of the rules and I note that there are others who Im aware of have not necessarily declared all of the flights that theyve taken.
Mr Albanese said the accusations lacked specific details.
If there is a suggestion to be made let it be made specifically and Ill answer it, he said.
Opposition transport spokeswoman Bridget McKenzie said Mr Albanese needs to let Australians know if he tried to get upgrades for himself and his family while he was the transport minister.
This is up to the Prime Minister to assure the Australian public. This is a matter of trust. It’s also a matter of ministerial integrity, she said.
The allegations in Joe Aston’s book are that he actively solicited upgrades for himself and family members.
Is it true, or isn’t it? So far despite two press conferences we don’t have an answer to that question.