Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) initiatives since official launch

Our response to the Uluru Statement from the Heart

CPA Australia’s position has been developed with the support and guidance of our Indigenous Advisory Group, which is supported in full by the CPA Board and Executive Leadership Team.

We welcome the Uluru Statement from the Heart and offers thanks to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for their gracious invitation to walk with them and all Australians towards a better future.

We willingly join Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on this trek as true and respectful partners for progress to strengthen relationships across all communities through Voice, Treaty, and Truth.

CPA Australia is privileged to base our operations on the lands and waters that have been cared for by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for 60,000 years and is home to the oldest continuing culture on earth.

Accounting professionals are at the forefront of business and finance decisions across the country. We are committed to encouraging Indigenous involvement and representation in the profession.

We support a transparent process for truth-telling and finding genuine agreement between governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We support processes that enable safe, open, and meaningful dialogue.

In the spirit of meaningful reconciliation, CPA Australia looks forward to working in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, governments, members of the accounting profession, our employees, and all Australians to find a shared voice and help build a strong, united nation.

"I take great pride in CPA Australia pledging our support for an important statement empowering Voice, Treaty, and truth. In the spirit of our Reconciliation journey at CPA Australia we are grateful for the opportunity and invitation to walk in a movement of all Australian people for a better future."

"I am excited to see the progress being made by CPA Australia as we continue on our reconciliation journey. This response to the Uluru Statement of the Heart demonstrates support for the First Nations people of Australia. The thought leadership provided by CPA Australia and our members will make an impactful contribution to positive change."

Stakeholder engagement

One of the most significant initiatives has been the creation of an Indigenous Advisory Group (IAG). The group is made up of CPA Australia Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members to advise, support and guide our initiatives, ensuring that the voices of our Australian Indigenous members are central to our reconciliation journey. If you are interested in being a part of the IAG please email [email protected].

To help support the delivery of internal and external RAP initiatives, we have also refreshed our existing internal RAP Working Group.

Understanding our current representation

In addition to the voluntary identification tool when joining as an employee, we also implemented a voluntary identification tool in our Members Profile page, where members can identify if they wish to, helping us to understand our current representation. 

Pipeline initiatives

Our Indigenous Scholarships Program offers five CPA Australia Scholarships every year. In 2021, was the first year CPA has awarded all five since the introduction of the program. As of 2024, Seventeen, Recipients have completed the CPA program through scholarship and achieved CPA status with 6 on track to become CPAs once completing the program.

Partnerships with the education sector are crucial to work together to increase the number of Indigenous Australians entering accounting and finance pathways.

We currently partner with one university pipeline program:

• The Charles Darwin University (CDU) Pre-enablement Program is designed to increase the number of Indigenous accountants in Australia who, through their profession, enhance their communities. CPA has been a sponsor of the program since 2022

Cultural awareness and education

In 2022-2023, over 70 members from the Australian Divisional Councils participated in cultural awareness education facilitated by Koorie Trust. The purpose of these workshops was to support participants to learn about cultural protocols, cultural sensitivity, and safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.

CPA Australia proudly celebrates Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC week across Australia.

In 2023 CPA Australia hosted an abridged version of the cultural awareness education, presented by Koorie Trust. This joint employee–member event was attended by almost 300 people and focused on the meaning of reconciliation. The virtual event was hosted by IAG Chair, Professor Keitha Dunstan FCPA, and President and Chair Merran Kelsall. This national virtual event complemented local in-person Divisional events.

Want to learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture?

We are committed to continuing to engage with each of the Divisions and their relevant stakeholders, to explore and develop new opportunities to help advance reconciliation across our organisation, membership and the broader profession. If you have any questions, ideas, or want to get involved, please contact the Indigenous Strategy and Engagement Manager Holly Mataka, or Inclusion and Diversity Manager Morgan McAllister.