Year: 2023

The TWU and Australian Services Union have both indicated they want to see a line drawn under Joyce’s tenure with the appointment of new CEO Vanessa Hudson, who will take the reins on Wednesday after Joyce moved his planned exit date forward by two months.

In a scathing statement, Senator Sheldon, a long-time foe of outgoing CEO Alan Joyce, said the Qantas board “cannot hide behind Joyce’s resignation” and that chair Richard Goyder’s head should be the next on the chopping block.

AIPA president Captain Tony Lucas said there is “much work to be done” but added his members “trust that Ms Hudson recognises the power of respecting and valuing all Qantas staff”.

CEO Alan Joyce, who has led Qantas since 2008, was originally to leave the role at the airline’s AGM in November, but will now hand over the reins to CFO Vanessa Hudson as of Wednesday 6 September. Qantas’s current Executive of strategy, people and technology, Rob Marcolina, will take over as CFO.

In an interview with ABC Radio National, deputy chairman John Sharp also questioned whether outgoing CEO Alan Joyce deserved his potential $24 million final pay packet.

The flypast, which also included a Globemaster, marked the opening of the annual Riverfire display, which itself heralded the start of the three-week Brisbane Festival.