Australia Hotels Association is going through a period of change, with chief executive officer Bill Healy departing tomorrow and Hamish Arthur already gone.

Healy has decided to leave the organisation to “take some time off” while former national corporate affairs manager, Arthur, has joined a lobbyist firm.

Healy has been with the association since May 2005 and will be replaced by Northern Territory lawyer Des Crowe at the end of the month.

Crowe previously worked with Morgan Buckley Lawyers, where he represented various venues in licensing cases.

He was also involved in the case to re-introduce brewing in the Northern Territory, representing The Northern Territory Brewing Company, which sought to open a brewery on the outskirts of Darwin, along with a licensed restaurant, tavern and beer garden.

The rest of the executive panel will remain the same.