Basil Zempilas: If Anthony Albanese’s Qantas flight upgrades were pure luck he should buy a Lotto ticket

1. Here’s the problem with Anthony Albanese’s Qantas flight upgrades: there were just too many of them. As someone who spent the better part of a decade in the air travelling for work — a mix of employer-paid business class flights, economy flights, upgrades from economy to business using points and the occasional upgrade because the airport gods were smiling — I know a bit about how this works. Twenty-two business class upgrades without some divine airline intervention over any period of time is the equivalent to those Powerball winning odds which get quoted whenever there’s a super draw. Is Albo honestly expecting us to believe he and his family just got lucky at check-in 22 times? It doesn’t pass the airport pub test, PM.

2. So, let’s have another look at that Qatar deal. Last year, the Federal Government blocked their request to fly an additional 21 competition-increasing services in and out of Australia “in the national interest”. Whose interest?

3. And while we’re at it, they weren’t the only ones, but no big Australian corporation was more “in” when it came to promoting the PM’s Voice referendum than Qantas. Why was it so important for our national carrier?

4. Good on Hale School for moving to get phones and apps out of the hands of Year 7s. Prevention is better — and easier — than cure.

5. Last night’s Liberal Party 80th anniversary gala at Crown was quite the show. I counted two former premiers (Court and Barnett), two former PMs (Howard and Abbott) and two current leaders (Dutton and Mettam). John Howard is 85 now but still razor sharp — and based on the enormous ovation he received, still as popular and respected as ever.

6. Hot on the heels of three national awards last week, this week the City of Perth was named Parking Organisation of the Year at the Parking Industry Awards held in Melbourne. It’s the Brownlow medal for parking! Our team was recognised for the recent on-street technology transformation and business improvement project which makes parking in the city more accessible and more affordable.

7. If you received an email from my wife this week saying she has laryngitis and asking you if you could buy her an Apple gift card to help a sick relative — don’t. Amy’s voice is fine and no one in the family is ill, except me trying to get her email account up and running again after an internet hack.

8. The resistance is over. We tried. But last night all three Zempilas children went out trick or treating. What can you do?

9. If you think netball is a slow game and not much of a spectator sport you haven’t seen the Australian Opals play New Zealand live. The Constellation Cup showdown at RAC Arena on Sunday was fast, physical and incredibly exciting.

10. On the subject of women’s sport, watch out for Canadian recruit Laeticia Amihere in the WNBL this season. She and the (under new ownership) Perth Lynx are ready to fly.

Basil Zempilas is Lord Mayor of the City of Perth and the Liberal candidate for Churchlands