CANBERRA: Questions are already being asked about the propriety and cost of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s decision to return to Australia from New York in a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) fighter jet.
This morning Australian time Mr Albanese stepped into the co-pilot’s cockpit of an RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornet (main picture) and began the expected 10-hour direct flight across the continental United States and the Pacific Ocean. (below)
It is understood that Mr Albanese personally rang Acting Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Richard Marles, to overrule RAAF concerns about the logistics and cost of flying one of the nation’s Super Hornets 16,700 kms from Amberley Air Base near Ipswich to New York to pick up the PM for a return flight.
“Richard Marles put the obvious arguments to the PM about the expected public outrage at the costs involved, especially for support planes such as air tankers for refuelling during non-stop flights to and from the US,” a source who witnessed the phone call told The Bug.
“But as usual, and just like everyone else, Albo couldn’t understand a fucking word Marles said so the plan went ahead.”
The source said Mr Albanese was determined to reach Australia this afternoon and his fighter jet would be landing at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport not Fairbairn Air Base in Canberra.
“He initially wanted to parachute into the AFL grand final match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as the jet flew overhead but that was ruled out because of the lack of time he had in New York to undertake parachuting lessons .
“I understand the PM has been rather tight-lipped about the reasons he wants to get to the MCG so quickly despite the costs to taxpayers involved.
“But when he initially spoke of parachuting he was determined to leap from the Super Hornet and land in the AFL’s VIP corporate suite which will be full of game officials as well as the pre-match and half-time entertainers.
“Or as he put it, he wanted to manoeuvre himself directly into Kylie Minogue’s box.
“But now he’ll have to content himself with being driven from Tullamarine in a high-speed motorcade to reach the MCG hopefully before the end of the grand final,” the source said.
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