Tens of Millions Won... 'Free Flight Ticket Privilege Controversy' Anthony Albanese, Australian Prime Minister [News Figures]

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been accused of receiving numerous benefits, including dozens of free seat upgrades, from Qantas Airways in the past. According to Australian ABC News and others on the 29th (local time), a book about Qantas Airways published the day before by Joe Aston, a former columnist for the Australian Financial Review, reveals that Prime Minister Albanese received various special favors from former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce, who led the airline from 2009 to 2023. In the book, Aston claims that Albanese requested and received at least 22 seat upgrades from Joyce. The value of these benefits amounts to tens of thousands of Australian dollars (tens of millions of Korean won). Albanese served as the Federal Minister for Transport from 2007 to 2013. From 2013 to 2019, he was responsible for the transport portfolio in the opposition shadow cabinet.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Anthony Albanese was born in Camperdown, western Sydney, in 1963 and was raised by his Irish single mother. His mother, who suffered from chronic rheumatoid arthritis, raised him with money earned from temporary cleaning jobs and disability pensions. Anthony Albanese attended St Mary's Cathedral College and majored in economics at the University of Sydney. He joined the Labor Party during his school years and worked as a rank-and-file member and a research officer for the prosecution before entering politics. Albanese took his first step into politics by running for the federal election in 1996 at the age of 33 in the electoral district of Grayndler, New South Wales, and was elected as a member of parliament.

When the Labor Party won the 2007 general election, Albanese was appointed Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, and Local Government, as well as Speaker of the House. In June 2013, he ran for the party leadership election and was elected deputy leader of the party, simultaneously becoming the 15th Deputy Prime Minister of Australia.

After the Labor Party's defeat in the 2013 general election, Albanese ran for the party leadership election, competing against Bill Shorten. It was the first party leadership election in the party's history that allowed participation from rank-and-file members. Albanese received support from the rank-and-file members but lost to Bill Shorten, who had overwhelming support from parliamentarians. After Bill Shorten resigned following the party's defeat in the 2019 general election, Albanese ran in the next leadership election and was elected party leader. Known for raising his voice on human rights, poverty, and healthcare issues, he became the 31st Prime Minister. Albanese is the first Australian Prime Minister in 121 years since the establishment of the Australian government who is not of British descent. Since taking office, Albanese has consistently maintained approval ratings in the mid to high 50% range. This success is attributed to the rapid implementation of policies promised by the Labor government during the election.