Photo credit: PERTH NOW
Qantas boss Alan Joyce has taken a pie to the face while speaking at a business breakfast in Perth today.
Mr Joyce was the keynote speaker at the West Business Leadership Matters event at the Hyatt Regency this morning when a man appeared on stage with a pie, and struck Joyce in the face. The attacker, reportedly in his 60’s, proceeded to casually walk off the stage – leaving Joyce dumbstruck.
Later in the morning, Mr Joyce appeared at Perth Airport for the launch of Qantas’ multi-million-dollar international wing for Terminals 3 and 4, where he shrugged off the pie-throwing incident which occurred earlier in the day.
“I have been CEO of Qantas now for close to nine years and it was a new experience and I haven’t experienced that before,” he told the media.
Despite acknowledging that the event was different but not unusual due to his long-standing reign as CEO, Joyce stated that he did not know the motives of the pie-thrower or what his intention may have been.
“Obviously the police are investigating and I think that should be subject to that investigation” he said.
“It seems to be he was making some sort of political statement but we don’t know what that statement is.”
The police confirmed to the media that they had been called to the hotel on Adelaide Terrace in East Perth to address an assault incident, however currently no one person is in custody.
By Tabatha Turner
