Statement from the Board 15 March 2019

1. 2018 Integrated Report (including financial accounts)

The Board approved CPA Australia’s annual financial statements for the calendar year 1 January to 31 December 2018. 

Detailed information on the financial results for 2018 will be available to members and other stakeholders in CPA Australia’s 2018 Integrated Report, to be released in April. 

Building on previous years, this report will set a new high standard for financial disclosure and transparency about CPA Australia’s operations, revenue and expenses. 

The report also includes information on CPA Australia’s membership. We are pleased to note that as at 31 December 2018, CPA Australia had 164,695 members working in 150 countries and regions.

2. 2019 Annual General Meeting

The 2019 Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Tuesday 14 May at the Langham Hotel, 1 Southgate Avenue, Southbank in Melbourne. 

Further details on the AGM, including information about attendance, resolutions and voting details will be available on the Notices of General Meetings pages in the lead-up to the meeting. 

3. Council of Presidents Meeting

Last week, the Board was joined by the Council of Presidents, made up of the President from each Divisional Council, to examine data from our key member research findings.

Member engagement survey

The annual member engagement survey measures how members rate CPA Australia’s performance across a number of key areas. The survey conducted in late 2018 delivered encouraging results with a lift in the ratings for both value and satisfaction. While the improvements are pleasing, there remains much to be done. Detailed results of the Member Engagement Survey will be available in the 2018 Integrated Report.

Member journey mapping

Member journey mapping aims to highlight the different needs of members at various stages of the membership journey. The Australian phase of the research was completed in 2018 and the results show that ‘future career development’ and ‘protecting the reputation of the designation’ are the issues that matter most to members.

To drive improvements in these areas, the Board has approved three key initiatives: 

• My career path adviser – a resource that will provide members with real-time data on job availability, in-demand skills and salaries
• You and your practice – is about developing a support model to assist members working in public practice
• Member interest and policy – an initiative that will review member engagement in policy, advocacy and thought leadership, and recommend improved ways of working with Centres of Excellence and Divisional Councils and Committees. 

4. Policy and Advocacy

Providing thought leadership and representing the views of members to policy makers and regulators is a key aspect of CPA Australia’s operations. Some of the major topics on which we have made submissions in 2019 are: 

• Pre-budget submission to the Australian Government 
• FASEA – Relevant Providers Exam Draft Legislative Instrument 
• ASIC – Cost Recovery and Search Fees
• IASB – Financial Instruments with Characteristic of Equity.

You can view recent submissions and provide input on current consultations that are under consideration.

Policy and advocacy update series

As part of our commitment to engage with members on developing and promoting policy positions, senior representatives of CPA Australia’s Policy and Advocacy and External Affairs teams will be visiting 19 cities and regional locations across Australia between March and May, to meet with members, gain their views and discuss CPA Australia’s position on the major issues affecting the profession.

Visit the conferences and events page for details about the location and dates of specific events. The Policy Series event to be conducted in Melbourne on Tuesday 9 April will be live-streamed and recorded for all members to view.

Topic-specific updates will be provided during the year, via webinar, starting in March, and through a follow-up series of updates slated for later in the year. 

5. Digital Education Platform Pilot Update – Quitch

In the February Board statement, we announced the pilot of a mobile learning app – Quitch – for use in Semester 1 by students enrolled in the Practice Management and Ethics and Governance subjects. So far more than 1350 students have downloaded the app and there is a high level of engagement among registered users. We will consult with students to evaluate the success of the app with a view to expanding its use in other subjects.

6. Risk Management Framework Tool 

In line with our strategic initiative to enhance the tools and resources available for public practitioners, we are set to launch the Risk Management Framework tool in March. The tool, which is currently in the final stages of testing, has been designed to assist CPAs working in public practice to comply with Australian Professional and Ethical Standards Board obligations (APES 325). The tool uses an easy to follow step-by-step process to guide the practitioner through the creation of compliant comprehensive risk management framework documentation.  

These are just some of the exciting initiatives underway as we work to deliver on our strategy. I look forward to sharing further details about these projects and more over the coming months.

Peter Wilson AM FCPA 

President and Chair 
On behalf of CPA Australia’s Board of Directors