The two organisations plan to join forces and become a singular body called Accommodation Australia to best advocate for the Australian accommodation sector.

After a solid day of meetings for both the Accommodation Association national council and the TAA national board, the planned inaugural directors of what will be the new Accommodation Australia board came together to continue determining the priorities for the merged entity. 

With both the AAoA and the AHA registered under the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act, there are a number of regulatory steps to follow as part of the proposed amalgamation process which is on track for completion on 1 July 2023.

It’s intended that Leanne Harwood will be the inaugural president of the merged entity, with Sean Hunt as vice president, and Bruce Copland as treasurer.

“Every day is another day closer to completion of the amalgamation process and we all welcomed the opportunity to get together and progress our thinking on meeting the big ticket items that continue to challenge our sector,” said Harwood.

“Workforce and skills shortages are, of course, at the top of that list.”

“Next year is going to be a landmark year as we unlock the power of a unified national voice in Accommodation Australia at such a critical recovery stage for our members. The Fair Work Commission is currently reviewing documentation and we remain quietly hopeful of a 1 July 2023 amalgamation day.”

Taken from Lawyers Weekly 29 November 2022 Media Release.