Four years ago the politician in charge of aviation, Transport Minister Catherine King, refused to allow Emirates to schedule more flights to and from Australia.

This week Ms King declared a “gift” from one of the prime beneficiaries of that decision, Qantas Airways, of the highly sought-after lifetime membership of its Platinum program.

Shadow treasurer Tim Wilson said Ms King should accept membership of the exclusive Chairman’s Lounge offered to Federal politicians.

“She’s trying to avoid accountability, and she’s setting a double standard for herself where she won’t take things from Qantas because it’s deemed to be a conflict of interest, but then on the other hand, she’s doing it on the other side,” he said.

Ms King acknowledged she had received “Qantas lifetime Platinum” status from the national carrier, stating she had “declared this on my register of interests, to ensure full transparency”.

“The Qantas website confirms the only avenue for reaching this is via flights. As a Member of Parliament for over twenty five years, I am required to travel regularly to fulfil both Parliamentary and Ministerial duties,” she said.

$40,000 a year

A spokesperson for Qantas’s frequent flyer program said membership was automatically awarded to customers were racked up 75,000 status credits. The points can be earned through 375 return business class flights from Australia to London or a total travel bill of $1 million, the equivalent of $40,000 a year for every year Ms King has been a politician, according to the Point Hacks website.

Two of Ms King’s ministerial colleagues defended the perk, which will give Ms King high-priority access to flight upgrades, extra luggage allowances and the right to first-class lounges around the world long after she leaves politics.

“Catherine King has appropriately declared it, but it’s a function of how much she travels,” Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said on Tuesday morning. “And you would want our transport minister, someone in her position who’s been in the Parliament for a considerable period of time with great experience to be travelling the country and engaging with Australians all over the nation.”

Housing Minister Clare O’Neil said Ms King “has probably been away from her family for a third of the last 25 years” travelling for her job as a minister and an MP representing Ballarat in Victoria.

“The important thing is . . . she made a declaration of it, and she’s been transparent about it,” Ms O’Neil said.

Shadow transport minister Bridget McKenzie said voters would “make their assessment” whether benefits provided by companies influenced ministers.