Inside the exclusive Qantas hideaway for the nation's movers and shakers, where secret deals can be done - and which could now bring down Anthony Albanese Qantas Chairman's Lounge is at centre of political furore Membership of elite club includes the PM and cabinet Public servants, TV stars and actors are among the 6000 By Candace Sutton for Daily Mail Australia Published: 03:42 EDT, 29 October 2024 | Updated: 03:42 EDT, 29 October 2024 e-mail View comments The existence of an exclusive hideaway for the country's movers and shakers where secret deals were done in private luxury first exploded into the public eye back in 2007. Back then, the fact that Qantas spent hundreds of thousands of dollars wining and dining the nation's political elite in ultra-exclusive VIP lounges was relatively unknown. It was a time before Alan Joyce's tenure as the CEO of Qantas had even started, when he was boss of the comparatively lowly budget airline, Jetstar .
And unlike Anthony Albanese 's current slide in the polls leading up to an election in next year, the prospects back in 2007 were rosy for Labor. The election that was looming was the 'Kevin 07' landslide that would see Kevin Rudd become prime minister and John Howard lose his own seat. The issue which blew open the 'guilty secret' of the Chairman's Lounge then wasn't about a prime minister's privileges, although John Howard and Kevin Rudd were certainly both members during their terms as PM.
But when broadcaster Steve Price - himself a .
