From The CEO

WITHOUT APOLOGY TO HORSES AND CORPSES

There was a time when admittance to a hotel was restricted to ‘a man, a traveller and his horse, and a corpse’ (because pub cellars were the coldest place in town).

A horse and a corpse got a gig ahead of women! Can you believe that?

So what a wonderful sight it was in late August when more than 300 women attended the Women In Hotels Conference and Dinner... and there wasn’t a horse in sight!

THE NEW NORMAL

Gender equality in hotels is the new normal.

The association has worked hard to achieve generational change and today’s employers appreciate having a wider selection of great people to choose from, rather than a whole cohort being sidelined.

When I was chosen as the first female CEO of the AHA|SA, I was surprised just how many women said to me, “you don't understand just how important this is for us”.

The association’s decision was emblematic, a powerful sign of just how far we have come as an industry.

It has never been about quotas and trying to fix the mistakes of the past. Women simply want the same opportunities as men, after which the outcome usually takes care of itself. In job selection, for example, the best candidate is chosen.

A fair chance - no more, no less.

And thankfully, that is where we find ourselves today.

CELEBRATE AND CONSOLIDATE

We've come such a long way in the 30 years since the first Women In Hotels Conference. We’re nearly there. The focus now is about cementing equality - and normalising it.

There’s always the case for continuous improvement but we don’t have to overcorrect.

Nor should we forget to celebrate. We’ve come so far from the days when horses and corpses were more welcome that women in pubs. That's what we should be celebrating – and recognising everybody in the industry who has contributed.

Let’s give ourselves permission to celebrate, safe in the knowledge that we will continue to consolidate the great progress we have made, because there's always more work that can be done.

Ministers Zoe Bettison and Andrea Michaels participated in the conference and dinner. Their presence reminded many in the room that we share a similar path.

The Malinauskas Government has appointed a record number of women to State Cabinet (eight women and nine men).

They remind us that equality of opportunity will only result in outcomes if women stretch themselves and take up positions of responsibility. The barriers have now been removed, but individuals actually have to take up the opportunity for anything to change.

In finding the strength to “step up”, we can all draw upon the amazing female pioneers in our industry.

They did so much but were rarely celebrated for their contribution.

For example, when Australian’s men went to war, it was the women who kept pubs going. They were the hoteliers. And they ran those establishments single-handed.

When the AHA|SA set a national precedent with the first Women in Hotels Conference in 1994, it kickstarted regular events. No one else was doing it.

This not only offered recognition, but the opportunity to network and support other like-minded women.

For younger women coming through, they now had female mentors that they could lean on. It became part of their professional development and we saw women building and strengthening their networks, sharing ideas and ultimately becoming great friends.

So move aside all you horses and corpses, women in hotels are here to stay!

Anna Moeller, AHA|SA CEO

As well as celebrating the achievements of women in our industry, it's always important to remember those who need our ongoing support. Significant fundraising has been achieved through our Christmas raffle, with the proceeds going to Junction Australia, which supports vulnerable South Australian women who are facing domestic violence and homelessness.