Revealed: who’s inside the Qantas Chairman’s Lounge
Ayesha de KretserSenior reporter
Oct 6, 2023
Qantas says it has extended a Chairman’s Lounge membership to every secretary and deputy secretary in the federal bureaucracy, as well as the chairmen and chief commissioners of key government agencies.
While the airline has declined to reveal the membership list for the exclusive – and notoriously secretive – club, Qantas confirmed in written responses to a Senate inquiry that it included “secretaries and deputy secretaries of Commonwealth departments, the chairs, chief commissioners and CEOs of key agencies and senior members of the military”.
There are six Qantas Chairman’s Lounge locations – in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and Perth airports; they were designed to bring the luxury of international first-class lounges to domestic travellers.
Membership of the Chairman’s Lounge is for two years, renewed at Qantas’ discretion. No fees are charged.
The Qantas Chairman’s Lounge in Brisbane. Lucas Muro
Both Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairwoman Gina Cass-Gottlieb – and several commissioners – and Australian Securities and Investments Commission chairman Joe Longo, and his two deputies – are members of the Chairman’s Lounge despite regulating the airline.
Since Qantas executives were asked the membership of the Chairman’s Lounge at a Senate hearing, several senior public servants have disclosed they have been gifted access. That includes Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Glyn Davis and deputy secretaries Nadine Williams, Liz Hefren-Webb, Rachel Bacon and Scott Dewar, who was appointed Australia’s next ambassador in Beijing last month.
[size=13px]The airline also declined to say how many free upgrades have been given to politicians as part of their membership over the past 12 months, suggesting politicians should disclose these.[/size]
“For privacy reasons, we are unable to disclose personal information regarding flights taken by individuals,” it said. “It is up to members and senators to update their register of interests, as appropriate.”
The Australian Financial Review Rear Window column reported that Anthony Albanese’s, son,
Nathan was conferred membership to the club, raising questions about the prime minister’s relationship with Qantas after the unexplained blocking of
Qatar Airways′ bid to expand in Australia.
Qantas would not say exactly when it arranged for Mr Albanese to attend its August 14 launch of support for the Yes campaign, revealing the meeting was set in “early July”. A Qantas spokesman declined to comment when asked exactly how the meeting was set up, or the date.
The government told a group of women who are engaged in legal action against Qatar Airways on July 10 that the Middle Eastern carrier’s request to fly more planes to Australia was “not being considered.”
Qantas would not confirm what discussions it held with Mr Albanese about Qatar’s request or when, with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet also unwilling to disclose details of meetings with the airline in questioning last week.
Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson would not say whether the airline would yet again raise objections to Qatar expanding its services to Australia’s main airports.