Independent MPs Say They Will Relinquish Qantas Perks Amid Upgrade Scandal

Published on November 4, 2024

Independent “teal” MPs Allegra Spender and Helen Haines have announced their decision to relinquish their access to Qantas’ exclusive Chairman’s Lounge in response to the growing flight upgrade scandal. The issue came under scrutiny after reports indicated that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese accepted 22 upgrades to business class from Qantas over his 30-year political career. Following this, additional reports claimed that more than 90 percent of politicians hold memberships to Qantas’ exclusive lounge. Spender announced her decision to revoke her access to both Qantas and Virgin lounges and urged fellow politicians to follow suit. “Special treatment of politicians by Qantas and Virgin has undermined public trust in government and effective competition in the aviation industry,” she said on X on Nov. 4....

Continue reading on website
Other news

LNP to Scrap Aboriginal ‘Truth-Telling’ Inquiry, Sparking Criticism

November 4, 2024
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has announced the newly-elected Liberal-National Party (LNP) government “won’t be allowing” the state’s Truth-Telling and Healing Inquiry to run planned next month.This comes despite the party initially supporting the Path to Treaty legislation in May last year.The Inquiry started in July and was legislated to run for three years.In the lead-up to the state elec

New Zealand Hit by Another Earthquake

November 4, 2024
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake has shaken central New Zealand on Monday afternoon. It occurred 10 kilometres (6.21 miles) north-east of Picton at a depth of 35 kilometres, according to government monitoring body GeoNet.Over 12,000 people reported they’d felt the quake within minutes of it occurring by posting “felt” reports on the organisation’s website.An afternoon shakeup for central NZ with a M4.9