Statement from the Board 12 February 2021

1. 2021 Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of CPA Australia will be held on Tuesday 27 April at the offices of CPA Australia Ltd, Level 20, 28 Freshwater Place, Southbank, Victoria, commencing at 5.30pm (AEST).

The Board had made a decision in principle to hold the AGM in Sydney this year and management had booked a venue for this purpose. However, the ongoing public health concerns surrounding the outbreak of COVID-19 and continuing uncertainty around travel and public gatherings have necessitated a change of venue for the AGM to the offices of CPA Australia in Melbourne. The Board is monitoring the ongoing impact of COVID-19 and will continue to take appropriate action in line with advice from relevant government and health authorities. Based on current regulatory advice the Melbourne office should be able to host up to 50 members at the AGM. Members will be able to view proceedings via live webcast and ask questions by phone or text during the meeting.

While CPA Australia and the Board ordinarily encourage members to attend the AGM in person, members are encouraged to consider carefully whether they should attend the venue for this year’s AGM based on public health advice at the time of the meeting. Depending on restrictions around travel or State government limitations on the size of gatherings, CPA Australia and the Board may be required to adopt extraordinary procedures in relation to the physical venue, including limiting or prohibiting attendance. As such, we encourage members to submit their proxies online as early as possible, even if you are planning to attend the meeting in person, as there may be restrictions on where and how the meeting can be conducted.

Previously, the Board has announced an intention to remove the unnecessary transitional provisions in CPA Australia’s Constitution. Originally planned for presentation at the 2021 AGM, this task is now being incorporated into a broader project to draft a plain English version of the Constitution that the Board will refer to the Council of Presidents and other key stakeholders for input and feedback, before presenting it for the consideration of members at a future meeting.

We encourage you to update your contact preferences to receive your notice of meeting and other communications by email. This is the most efficient, cost-effective and sustainable manner of communicating with members.

The notice of meeting and proxy form for the AGM will be dispatched to members as soon as possible, but at least 21 days before the AGM, as required under S249H of the Corporations Act 2001(Cth) and the CPA Australia Constitution.

More details about the AGM are available on the website. For further information, contact [email protected].

2. 2020 Integrated Report

CPA Australia’s 2020 Integrated Report, including the financial statements, will be released to members and other stakeholders in early April. In line with CPA Australia’s commitment to reducing our impact on natural capital, this year members will receive the Integrated Report via email in a digital flipbook format. A PDF and the digital version will also be available on CPA Australia’s website. Members who wish to receive a hard copy of the Integrated Report can opt in to do so by updating their preferences by 24 February.

3. Restructure of Board Committees

The CPA Australia Board of Directors governs five committees that assist the Board in their decision-making and policy processes. The Board committees have been restructured to ensure that CPA Australia continues to maintain the highest standards of governance and is able to deliver on the strategy to meet the needs of members. The following Board Committee structure is effective from 1 January 2021:

• Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee
• Education, Policy and Innovation Committee
• Finance and Investment Committee
• Member Engagement and Culture Committee
• Nomination Committee

The members of the respective committees as well as updated charters for each committee are available on the website.

4. Council of Presidents Office Bearers

The Council of Presidents, which comprises the President of each of CPA Australia’s 13 Divisional Councils, has elected their Office Bearers for 2021:

Matthew Needham FCPA, New Zealand Divisional Council – Chair

Fiona Stagg FCPA, Tasmania Divisional Council – Deputy Chair

The Council draws on input from members to advise the Board on strategic issues and opportunities.

The Board values the contribution of these dedicated members who offer their time and expertise to serve the organisation. We congratulate Matthew and Fiona on their respective appointments and look forward to working with the Council of Presidents during 2021.

5. CPA Australia Digital Finance micro-credentials

As part of our commitment to providing relevant and flexible CPD options that support lifelong learning, in 2020 CPA Australia introduced micro-credentials, a new short form of certification.

Covering in-demand business and finance skills, the initial suite of six micro-credential courses in Digital Finance focus on the impact of digital technology on business and finance and the growing importance of measuring value through data. In total, the short-form courses attracted nearly 8300 enrolments to 31 December, with ‘Data Visualisation and Interpretation’ and ‘Data Analytics’ the two most popular micro-credential courses. Find out more about CPA Australia micro-credentials.

6. Member events in 2021

The Board was pleased to see members responding positively to the program of virtual events during 2020. We will continue to offer a strong array of virtual online events in 2021 alongside face-to-face events where possible. Currently we have almost 300 events scheduled for Q1 2021, including 84 face-to-face events. To give as many members as possible the chance to attend events, we will use the technology available in some of our offices to deliver hybrid events with members able to attend in person or via livestream. You can view forthcoming events in your Division via the website.

Merran Kelsall FCPA

President and Chairman
On behalf of CPA Australia's Board of Directors