Question on notice no. 146
Portfolio question number: F146
2024-25 Supplementary budget estimates
Finance and Public Administration Committee, Finance Portfolio
Senator David Pocock: asked the Department of Finance on 20 November 2024—
I understand various questions have been asked about this, but given the public
interest and importance of this, please can you provide details about:
Lounge membership
1.Who in the Department has a Qantas Chairman's Lounge membership - name and
position?
2.Who in the Department has a Virgin Australia Beyond Lounge membership - name
and position?
1.How many spouses of officials also have access to either lounge (I'm not asking for
names on this question, just numbers) ?
Domestic flights
1.How many domestic flights have the SES taken on Qantas during this term of
parliament?
2.How many domestic flights have the SES taken on Virgin during this term of
parliament?
3.How many domestic flights have the SES taken on other commercial airlines during
this term of parliament?
4.How many domestic flights have staff taken on Qantas during this term of
parliament?
5.How many domestic flights have staff taken on Virgin during this term of
parliament?
6.How many domestic flights have staff taken on other commercial airlines during
this term of parliament?
Flight upgrades
1.How many upgrades have the SES received from Qantas during this term of
parliament?
2.How many upgrades have the SES received from Virgin during this term of
parliament?
3.How many upgrades have the SES received from other airlines during this term of
parliament?
4.How many upgrades have non-SES staff received on domestic flights during this
term of parliament?
Frequent flyer memberships
1.How many SES have the following statuses on their frequent flyer memberships?
Qantas Lifetime Silver
Qantas Lifetime Gold
Qantas Lifetime Platinum
Virgin Forever Gold
Virgin Platinum Plus
2.How many non-SES staff have the following statuses on their frequent flyer
memberships?
Qantas Lifetime Silver
Qantas Lifetime Gold
Qantas Lifetime Platinum
Virgin Forever Gold
Virgin Platinum Plus
Answer —
See attached.
Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ON NOTICE
SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET ESTIMATES 2024-25
Finance Portfolio
5 November 2024
Department/Agency: Finance portfolio
Outcome/Program: General
Topic: Travel arrangements
Senator: David Pocock
Question reference number: F146
Type of question: Written
Date set by the committee for the return of answer: 19 December 2024
Number of pages: 5
Question:
I understand various questions have been asked about this, but given the public interest and
importance of this, please can you provide details about:
Lounge membership
1. Who in the Department has a Qantas Chairman’s Lounge membership - name and
position?
2. Who in the Department has a Virgin Australia Beyond Lounge membership - name and
position?
3. How many spouses of officials also have access to either lounge (I’m not asking for
names on this question, just numbers)?
Domestic flights
1. How many domestic flights have the SES taken on Qantas during this term of parliament?
2. How many domestic flights have the SES taken on Virgin during this term of parliament?
3. How many domestic flights have the SES taken on other commercial airlines during this
term of parliament?
4. How many domestic flights have staff taken on Qantas during this term of parliament?
5. How many domestic flights have staff taken on Virgin during this term of parliament?
6. How many domestic flights have staff taken on other commercial airlines during this term
of parliament?
Flight upgrades
1. How many upgrades have the SES received from Qantas during this term of parliament?
2. How many upgrades have the SES received from Virgin during this term of parliament?
3. How many upgrades have the SES received from other airlines during this term of
parliament?
1
4. How many upgrades have non-SES staff received on domestic flights during this term of
parliament?
Frequent flyer memberships
1. How many SES have the following statuses on their frequent flyer memberships?
• Qantas Lifetime Silver
• Qantas Lifetime Gold
• Qantas Lifetime Platinum
• Virgin Forever Gold
• Virgin Platinum Plus
2. How many non-SES staff have the following statuses on their frequent flyer
memberships?
• Qantas Lifetime Silver
• Qantas Lifetime Gold
• Qantas Lifetime Platinum
• Virgin Forever Gold
• Virgin Platinum Plus
Answer:
Department of Finance
Lounge membership
1. The following officials have membership of the Qantas Chairmans’s Lounge:
• Secretary, Jenny Wilkinson
• Deputy Secretary, Cath Patterson
• Deputy Secretary, Nathan Williamson
• Deputy Secretary, Richard Windeyer
• Deputy Secretary, Andrew Jaggers
2. The following officials have membership of the Virgin Australia Beyond Lounge:
• Secretary, Jenny Wilkinson
• Deputy Secretary, Nathan Williamson
• Deputy Secretary, Richard Windeyer
• Deputy Secretary, Andrew Jaggers
3. 5 (2 were separately invited).
Domestic flights
For the period 21 May 2022 to 31 October 2024:
1. 1,219
2. 405
3. 16
4. 4,071
5. 2,152
6. 143
2
Flight upgrades
No upgrades have been recorded in our travel management system for the period 21 May
2022 to 31 October 2024.
Frequent flyer memberships
The status of an individual’s frequent flyer membership is not held by Department of
Finance.
Australian Electoral Commission
Lounge membership
1. Tom Rogers, Electoral Commissioner.
2. Tom Rogers, Electoral Commissioner.
3. 1 spouse has access to both Qantas Chairman’s Lounge and the Virgin Australia Beyond
Lounge.
Domestic flights
The data is sourced directly from the Corporate Travel Management system under the Whole
of Australian Government Travel Arrangements. The data was extracted at a point in time.
Due to the volume of transactions, the AEC has undertaken a high-level review only to
exclude flights that have been refunded or cancelled. For the period 21 May 2022 to 31
October 2024:
1. 1,543.
2. 466.
3. 177.
4. 9,607 (including SES domestic flights).
5. 4,133 (including SES domestic flights).
6. 933 (including SES domestic flights).
Flight upgrades
1. AEC’s travel management system does not record upgrades. To attempt to provide this
level of detail would involve an unreasonable diversion of departmental resources.
2. As above.
3. As above.
4. As above.
Frequent flyer memberships
Under the Whole of Australian Government Travel Arrangements, Australian Government
travellers are not permitted to accrue frequent flyer points on travel.
1. The status of frequent flyer memberships of an individual is not held by the AEC.
2. The status of frequent flyer memberships of an individual is not held by the AEC.
3
Digital Transformation Agency
Lounge membership
1. Chris Fechner, Chief Executive Officer
2. Nil.
3. 1
Domestic flights
1. 246
2. 146
3. 6
4. 1031
5. 729
6. 132
Flight upgrades
1. One. The upgrade was received due to operational reasons to allow stand-by passengers to
be boarded. The upgrade was not requested or required by the DTA traveller.
2. Nil.
3. Nil.
4. Nil.
Frequent flyer memberships
1-2. The DTA does not maintain data on the status of individual’s frequent flyer memberships.
Future Fund Management Agency
Lounge membership
1-2. The Future Fund’s gifts and benefits register is available on the website.
3. 1
Domestic flights
For the period 21 May 2022 - 31 October 2024:
1. 137
2. 34
3. 1
4. 2,906
5. 1,168
6. 23
Flight upgrades
1-4. Future Fund’s systems do not capture the information requested.
Frequent flyer memberships
1-2. Future Fund’s systems do not capture the information requested.
4
Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority
Lounge membership
1. Annwyn Godwin, CEO
2. Nil
3. Nil
Domestic flights
1. 68
2. 25
3. Nil
4. 52
5. 18
6. Nil
Flight upgrades
1. Nil
2. Nil
3. Nil
4. Nil
Frequent flyer memberships
Under the Whole of Australian Government Travel Arrangements, Australian Government
travellers are not permitted to accrue frequent flyer points on travel.
1-2. IPEA does not maintain data on the status of individual’s frequent flyer memberships.
5
