National Don't miss out on the headlines from National. Followed categories will be added to My News. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has been snapped catching up with the author of the bombshell new book The Chairman’s Lounge underlining what Labor critics claim are his links to the Liberal Party.
Former columnist with the Australian Financial Review Joe Aston has made no secret of his past as a Liberal staffer with Joe Hockey and Bruce Baird. But his catch ups with Mr Dutton have now emerged courtesy of a snap taken by a fellow diner at Brasserie 1930 in Sydney in April, 2024. The pair have known each other for years.
Stung by criticism of his relationship with Qantas, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese falsely accused the well-connected Aston this week of failing to declare he once worked for both the Liberal Party and Qantas, in an attempt to discredit his reporting. “I don’t see declarations that he’s a former Liberal Party staffer for a number of senior members of the Liberal Party, including Joe Hockey and Bruce Baird,” Mr Albanese said. “I don’t see declarations that he’s a former Qantas employee.
” Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is seen meeting with the author of The Chairman's Lounge, the book which revealed Anthony Albanese's perks at Qantas, Joe Aston, back in April of this year. Joe Aston with chef Neil Perry and Alan Joyce in 2017. Picture: Instagram This was false and Aston fired back at Mr Albanese saying the press conference made him appear “be.