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In a shock move yesterday afternoon, Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) chief executive Jayson Westbury resigned from AFTA, effective immediately.

An AFTA statement said Westbury’s departure followed his recent comments directed at A Current Affair’s Tracy Grimshaw and the program’s coverage of the travel industry’s response to the coronavirus.

During a webinar with AFTA members on Friday, Westbury said, as quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald: “I won’t ever be watching it [Channel 9’s A Current Affair] again. I think that Tracy Grimshaw needs to be given a firm uppercut or a slap across the face, and I mean that virtually, of course, I wouldn’t want to invoke any violence on anyone.”

“But, I mean, some of the behaviour and some of the language that’s being used on that program is just outrageous.

“We are doing what we can from the point of view of talking with their producers and various reporters.”

Despite Westbury’s quick clarification that his remark about Grimshaw was of course only figurative, the damage was done.

Westbury’s comments were reported yesterday morning in numerous media outlets, including News.com.au and the Sydney Morning Herald.

Yesterday morning, AFTA issued a media release stating that Westbury “unreservedly” apologised for the comments.

That release stated:

The Chief Executive of Australian Federation of Travel Agents’ (AFTA) Jayson Westbury, unreservedly apologises for a comment made towards Tracy Grimshaw the host of the Nine Network program A Current Affair.

“My comments relating to Ms Grimshaw involved a very poor choice of words. I apologise for that choice and accept the language used was completely inappropriate,” said Jayson Westbury. 

The comment was made during an AFTA member webinar in which an update was provided as to the industry status during COVID19 and significant media coverage attributed towards travel agents.

Shortly after 4pm yesterday afternoon, another AFTA statement announced that Westbury had resigned.

The afternoon statement acknowledged that Westbury had stressed that his comments about Grimshaw should not be taken literally. It pointed out that he had yesterday morning apologised publicly, and to Grimshaw, and he had also acknowledged that the comments were inappropriate and unacceptable in any circumstances, as well as being at odds with the views of AFTA and its member companies and agencies.

“His choice of words cannot be condoned,” AFTA chairman Tom Manwaring stated.

“His work history stands in good stead for the service he has provided the travel industry and AFTA’s members.”

The AFTA statement continued: “Given the circumstances, AFTA’s Board has unanimously agreed to accept Mr Westbury’s resignation and appointed Courtney Duddleston as acting General Manager Operations while a recruitment process is put in place for a replacement Chief Executive.”

Written by Peter Needham