Australia PM Denies Asking Ex-Qantas CEO Directly for Upgrades.

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has denied allegations of personally contacting former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce for flight upgrades, amidst a scandal over free perks from the airline. The Prime Minister's office stated that he did not seek upgrades directly from Joyce, and all travel perks were appropriately declared. The controversy has sparked a re-examination of the free perks provided to politicians by Qantas, including access to the exclusive Chairman's Lounge. The scandal comes at a time when Albanese is facing challenges in convincing voters of his ability to address national economic issues. [Extracted from the article]