One progressive voice or more of the same?
Will the joining of two largely ineffectual organisations that purport to be the “peer” representatives of the accommodation industry change anything? Or will the two ineffectual organisations become just one big ineffectual organisation?
The Australian Hotels Association (Tourism Accommodation Australia) and the Accommodation Association of Australia announced last week that they had agreed to establish a joint venture between the two organisations to provide “one voice” for Australia’s accommodation industry.
Neither organisation has held much sway in the past, at least not since the Greg Holmes-era of HMAA (now AAA) a decade or more ago. Apart from self-appraising participation appraisals and support of government decisions, neither group has really influenced much in the way of policy assistance to the accommodation industry they purport to serve.
Presently, both AHA and AAA claim to represent the accommodation industry, but following extensive discussions, the two organisations announced that they had agreed to establish the joint venture as soon as possible, with the aim of providing a ‘complete’ advocacy body to support the accommodation industry.
Compare the impact of these two bodies with that of John Hart’s influence through the Restaurant & Catering Association’s industry sway and the results of the vital changes in wage reforms, OH&S and, especially, penalty rates, and one has to ask how effective the twin “peer” organisations have been in redressing the accommodation industry’s problems?
One hopes that the magical joint venture will address the problems that now face the accommodation sector but the question of whether either organisation (or combined) really understands the complexities of today’s accommodation industry is very debatable, given that each has closet member interests to serve.
Let’s look at it. Key features of the joint venture agreement include: The new organisation will unite the accommodation industry under ‘one voice’; It will provide a powerful organisation for the industry, particularly when advocating to governments on major issues; The new organisation will aim to create the best possible operational conditions for the accommodation industry. Sounds familiar to claims of the past.
Commenting on the joint venture agreement, president of the AHA, Peter Burnett, said, “This is a significant day for our industry with the historic signing of the memorandum of understanding bringing together the Australian Hotels Association and Accommodation Association of Australia boards to agree to work together on behalf of our respective members. The industry will be far better placed to tackle the issues and represent our members if there is a common voice speaking for the industry as a whole.”
Or is it simply a matter of trying to redress the falling membership satisfaction in both associations over the last decade?
President of AAA, Gary Crockett said that the aim would be to liaise with their respective membership to ensure maximum support for the joint venture, with changes to the industrial relations framework in recent years making it easier for a single organisation to represent the accommodation industry.
Skeptical, but we shall see.
