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Federal Transport Minister Catherine King has accepted lifetime access to Qantas\u2019 top-tier platinum status membership.<\/strong><\/p>\n The Australian Financial Review<\/em> reported that King had listed the status on her register of interests on Monday to include the gift she had received from the airline.<\/p>\n The benefit offers full access to first and business class lounges, priority upgrades, additional baggage allowance, priority check-in, boarding and baggage and support from the airline\u2019s VIP services team. Qantas\u2019 Platinum Status also includes further oneworld benefits with Emirates and China Eastern.<\/p>\n Housing Minister Clare O\u2019Neil told Nine\u2019s Today<\/i> earlier this morning that King had travelled an \u201cunbelievable amount\u201d and had \u201cprobably been away for a third of the last 25 years\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThe important thing is \u2026 she made a declaration of it, and she\u2019s been transparent about it,\u201d O\u2019Neil said.<\/p>\n Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles also defended King in a doorstop interview at Parliament house.<\/p>\n \u201cCatherine King has appropriately declared it, but it\u2019s a function of how much she travels,\u201d Marles said.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you would want our transport minister, someone in her position who\u2019s been in the Parliament for a considerable period of time with great experience to be travelling the country and engaging with Australians all over all over the nation.\u201d<\/p>\n Controversy has surrounded King before after a Qatar Airways bid for additional capacity was blocked in 2023.<\/p>\n Normally, achieving lifetime Platinum Status requires 75,000 status credits.<\/p>\n A Sydney to Melbourne flight earns 10 status credits on a Discount Economy ticket, 20 on a Discount Premium Economy and 45 status credits on a Flexible Business ticket.<\/p>\n In the long-haul sector, the trek from Sydney to London (LHR) is worth 420 status credits when flying First Class, and 95 credits when flying in Economy.<\/p>\nHow to achieve lifetime Platinum Status<\/strong><\/h2>\n