TAA announces new board in wake of Martin Ferguson appointment

AccomNews Sunday, August 16, 2015

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A new high-level Board has been announced for Australian accommodation body Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA).

The announcement of the full Board follows the appointment last month of former Tourism Minister, Martin Ferguson, as Chair of TAA.

The full board is:

Martin Ferguson – Chair
Peter Burnett – AHA National President
David Seargeant – Group Managing Director, Amalgamated Holdings Limited
Peter Crinis -COO – Crown Hotels and Food & Beverage
Sean Hunt – Regional Vice President, Starwood Pacific Hotels
Paul Hutton – Vice President Operations – Australasia, Hilton Worldwide
Robert Dawson – Area Vice President, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts International Operations
Bradley Woods – CEO AHA WA
Carol Giuseppi – CEO TAA

Announcing the Board, TAA Chair, Martin Ferguson, said that it represented a mix of the sector’s most prominent Australian and international hotel owners, investors, operators and industry representatives.

“The Board will be able to provide the strongest voice possible for the accommodation industry, offering exceptional experience, skills and insights,” said Mr Ferguson.

“TAA has strong representation and advocacy nationwide through its branches in each State and Territory, and the calibre of the Board will ensure that we are able to address the major issues confronting the industry through having a powerful presence in Canberra.”

Following the Board’s meeting in Sydney this week, Mr Ferguson said that the Board’s initial priorities would be:

workplace conditions inclusive of employment-inhibiting penalty rates;
addressing barriers to sustainable accommodation growth and investment inclusive of the proliferation of unregulated short-term accommodation, increasing international marketing investment and reducing regulation; and
addressing labour and skills shortages, with visa relaxation a high priority.