Update from the CPA Australia Board 19 July 2023

President's message

I’m delighted to announce that CPA Australia recently won a Gold Award in the General Awards for our 2022 Integrated Report at this year’s Australasian Reporting Awards. Our 2022 Integrated Report, which received Limited Assurance against the Integrated Reporting Framework and Reasonable Assurance on the Materiality Process, was also a finalist in the special category for Integrated Reporting for the third consecutive year. As proud proponents of Integrated Reporting, this recognition is particularly gratifying. CPA Australia continues to lead the way in Integrated Reporting in Australia and New Zealand.

 

CEO Transition Ahead

After over five years as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CPA Australia, Andrew Hunter has tendered his resignation to the Board of Directors. Earlier this year Andrew signalled to the Board that he would look to finish in his role as CEO by 31 March 2024 to support the pursuit of his next career aspiration in Europe, where he worked from 2003 to 2010. Andrew’s advance notice has enabled the Board to prepare for the most important task of searching for a new CEO. Executive search firm Russell Reynolds Associates has been appointed to conduct the search process with the view to announcing a replacement CEO before the end of this year.

Andrew was appointed to the role of CEO early in April 2018 by a new Board of Directors of CPA Australia following the governance challenges in 2017. One of Andrew’s first responsibilities was to work closely with the Board and members to develop a new organisational strategy for 2018-2022. The Board thanks Andrew for his strong leadership during the difficult period of restoring member pride in the CPA designation and trust in the organisation. By 2022 the annual member survey showed member satisfaction at 7.08, its highest point since first measured in 2014.

The Board is also grateful for Andrew’s leadership of the organisation and service to members during the Covid-19 crisis of 2020 to 2022. Andrew showed a willingness to take risks, move forward and demonstrate compassion for CPA Australia members and our people. Andrew has also led the development of our ambitious new 5-year strategy 2022-2027 to equip members with skills for the future.

The Board will provide more information regarding the search for our new CEO before the end of this year.

 

Digital Transformation Project nearing completion

Our Member Management and Finance technology transformation project is set to go live on Monday 24 July. This project is a key part of delivering our new strategy and represents a major upgrade of our core systems to better serve members’ needs. 
 

As we transition to our new technology platform, members will notice some temporary changes to system access, event registration and member communications. Regular email communications such as CPA Update, Tax News, INTHEBLACK and InPractice have been paused during July and will return in late August. These changes have been communicated to members via the respective publications and there is additional information on our website and social channels to support members. Online services that require members to login will be temporarily unavailable from 8.00pm AEST on Tuesday 18 July until 2.00pm AEST on Monday 24 July. For any queries during this period, contact the Member Services team on 1300 73 73 73 (within Australia), +61 3 7034 9770 (outside Australia) or by email at [email protected]

We thank you for your patience as we introduce new systems and enhance our cybersecurity.

Tax Time campaign

CPA Australia’s tax time content aims to provide members in Australia with the information and resources to help them support businesses and their clients at the end of the financial year. It also aims to educate the public about tax time considerations and promote the value of seeing a registered tax agent. 

 

As part of the campaign, we’ve produced a series of Tax Time podcasts, webinars and feature articles in INTHEBLACK, CPA Tax News and In Practice. Plus, we’ve received widespread media coverage across mainstream Australian television, radio, print and online outlets, including CPA Australia’s Head of Policy and Advocacy, Elinor Kasapidis, being interviewed by David Koch on ‘Kochie’s Business Builders’ on Channel 7.

 

Our tax time media campaign generated a potential audience reach in excess of 4.1 million according to independent media monitoring company Streem.

 

Ethical Professional Development (PD) available to members

The Board has determined that all members of CPA Australia will be required to complete a minimum of 10 hours each triennium, and a minimum of two hours each year, of PD related to ethics and professional responsibility. The By-Laws have been updated accordingly. The Board takes the ethical conduct of the members of CPA Australia very seriously. CPA Australia currently offers a range of ethics related PD. We will also be offering a micro-credential in Professional Ethics equating to five CPD hours that is due for release in October 2023 and covers the following topics:

• Code of Ethics - Fundamental principles and conceptual framework
• Code of Ethics - Professional accountants in business and public practice
• Ethical decision-making models

New Data and Digital Micro-credentials

In line with our strategic goal to help members build interdisciplinary and contemporary skills, we have launched a new suite of micro-credentials focusing on data and digital capability. The five ‘Data and Digital’ micro-credential courses run between four to six hours each and are designed to provide the knowledge to interpret, analyse and manipulate data to inform business decisions. The courses available are:

1. Data Visualisation and Storytelling
2. Data Interpretation
3. Statistical Analysis for Decision-Making
4. Data-Informed Decision-Making
5. Creating a Data-Driven Culture

Full details on the Data and Digital micro-credentials are available online.

 

CPA Congress 2023 – save the date

CPA Congress will be held virtually from Wednesday 18 October to Friday 20 October 2023, then available on demand for six weeks. CPA Congress has been held annually for 65 years, and just in the past three years has welcomed more than 30,000 attendees from over 50 countries in a virtual format.

This year’s theme, ‘Flex Forward’, looks at how we can continue to adapt our mindset to meet the future challenges of the profession and build on our expertise. The program will be announced in August and further details will be available via the website. 

Nominations for Divisional Council now open

CPA Australia’s Divisional Councils play a vital role in promoting member engagement, maintaining the integrity of the designation, and supporting members at a local level. Nominations are now open to join your local CPA Divisional Council for a three-year term commencing on 1 January 2024. I encourage all eligible members to become involved.

There are 62 vacancies across the 13 Divisional Councils. Where the number of nominations exceeds the number of vacant positions in each division, a ballot will be held from 20 September to 16 October. Further details about the nomination process are available on the website. Nominations close on Wednesday 9 August.

Merran Kelsall AO FCPA
President and Chair
On behalf of CPA Australia’s Board of Directors