Public servants to be banned from free flight upgrades – but business class still a go
A Department of Finance review of government travel policies released quietly on Friday last week, seven months after it was completed, found that existing policies were delivering value for money but weren't consistently followed.
National outcry over government travel perks exploded last year after commentator Joe Aston revealed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had received at least 22 free Qantas upgrades from economy class, worth tens of thousands of dollars, as had other politicians and public servants.
'The Australian public, parliamentarians and submissions to the review have raised the possibility that access to exclusive lounges provided by Qantas and Virgin may unduly influence government travel patterns,' the report said.
The report said data from 2023-24 showed there was higher use of Qantas flights by public servants in and out of Canberra than other airlines, but attributed this to more availability from the national carrier and said the booking patterns were consistent with the public.
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The review, completed in December last year, found the existing policy was fit-for-purpose and saved the government $260 million in 2022-23, but was not always being followed by individuals. It made seven recommendations to improve value and efficiency in government travel, and support competition. The government accepted them to varying degrees, and tasked the department with implementing the changes.
The rules will apply to public servants, but politicians and their staff will escape the upgrade restrictions because their travel comes under different legislation.
A key recommendation bars public servants from accepting flight upgrades except in exceptional circumstances, such as when there is no other seat on a plane. The department said it would draft a new travel policy to include the recommendation to be effective from early next year.
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