Australia’s two leading hotel and hospitality industry representation bodies – Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) and the Accommodation Association – have revealed plans are underway to amalgamate and merge into one voice.
Announced this morning to open AHICE 2021 at Adelaide Oval, Tourism Accommodation Australia Chairman, Martin Ferguson, and Accommodation Association Chairman, Julian Clark, took the stage together to say that the respective Boards of both had reached agreement to come together and that the process was now underway.
“The fact is that Australia’s accommodation sector deserves and wants one united voice,” Ferguson said.
“This is a monumental and historic moment but there is still a long and complex path ahead in bringing together two democratic organisations with much of the approval process managed and determined by ASIC, the FWC, the AEC and shaped by association law.”
Accommodation Association Chairman, Julian Clark, said a huge amount of work has been conducted over the past 12 months on the governance framework required via the legal and regulatory processes that apply as part of the amalgamation.
“We have now lodged the draft rules with the Fair Work Commission for informal review.
Ferguson said the need for a strong and united association was critical to advocating to government but that there were still some significant complexities to be navigated by bringing together a national organisation with a federated organisation.
“We have and will continue to take our time to get it right in the interests of all members of both organisations,” he added.
Clark said while much work was still needed, much had already been done and over the next 12 months, the process is expected to be reaching its conclusion.
“We have successfully got to this point as a result of both organisations working together constructively and with the intent of doing what’s right and in the best interests for all members of both organisations.
“This is what you our members have told us you want.”