Anthony Albanese, His Son, and Fiancée Join Exclusive Qantas Chairman’s Club

In 2022, the national carrier Qantas offered Jodie Haydon, the fiancée of Anthony Albanese, a “stand-alone” membership to the chairman’s lounge.

The offer was made as part of the company’s soft diplomacy efforts following the 2022 election.

In response to allegations that he sought the perks, Mr Albanese noted that he did not ask for or request the gift and it was officially reported to the company’s register of interests the following October.

According to a new book by Joe Aston, the Prime Minister’s account of the incident is at odds with the facts presented in the book.

According to the author, after becoming the Prime Minister in 2022, Albanese asked Alan Joyce to make his son, Nathan, a member of the lounge.

Sources within Labor noted that the sequence was different. They claim that following his separation from his wife, Carmel Tebutt, in 2019, Albanese designated his son, Nathan Tebutt, as his designated family member for travel.

This is an interesting decision since, according to the rules, a member of Parliament can nominate a dependent or family member, but the child must be under 18 years old.

By making his adult son the designated family traveler after he turned 18 years old, Mr. Albanese was still able to claim for travel expenses for the youngster.

However, records indicate that this practice was only carried out until the 2022 election, when the cost of almost $14,000 was incurred.

It’s not clear if the expenses related to his son or his fiancée, Jodie Haydon.

Although his membership in the Qantas chairman’s lounge is a separate matter, it could explain why he became a “plus one” for both reasons.