A few recent articles about the Australian Government looking to receive frequent flyer miles.

A few recent articles about the Australian Government looking to receive frequent flyer miles. Does anyone know and history about this? Obviously government workers who received the miles would be seen to be benefiting from tax payer dollars paying for the flights, but why hasn't the government been able to accrue the points. Could the government for example set up and Acquire membership with Qantas and funnel the points that way? And what about the technicalities of who actually earns the points, fringe benefits or conflicts of interest aside, is it the bums in theseats who are eligible for the points or the person who pays for the seat?

I did a lot of flying on government business for over a decade and never saw a frequent flyer point on my account. The govt did a deal to exclude govt tickets from receiving points too long ago to remember (everyone that is except the pollies who kept reaping them until relatively recently). I would think there had to be some benefit to price if there was no 'future cost' associated with flights on govt bookings.