CPA Congress 2009

Matt Hailes, General Manager of CPA Australia's ACT Division

The line up of speakers and topics to be presented at CPA Congress in Canberra next month will provide great learning opportunities for finance professionals in the public sector.

David Tune PSM, has around 30 years experience in the Australian Public Sector. Prior to becoming Secretary for the Department of Finance and Deregulation he worked with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. As there is an ever increasing spotlight on governments to be accountable for their spending and their performance it will be fascinating to hear Mr Tune share his views on accountability and performance at CPA Congress.

How to manage risk is a topic for discussion in all sectors. Dr Christine Jubb CPA is a Research Fellow at the Australian National Centre for Audit and Assurance Research at ANU. Dr Jubb will deliver the annual research lecture at CPA Congress this year. She will explore issues around risk, particularly in light of the recent economic downturn and with an emphasis on the public sector.

Certainly many of the issues affecting finance professionals in the public sector are relevant to all sectors. However CPA Congress has specific sessions for this sector including information on financial reporting developments, fraud, GST issues and the Gershon Review.

With important technical sessions and updates; a performance from Explosive minds; and speakers who are leaders in their field among the activity at this years CPA Congress in ACT, it is certainly a must attend event.

Roger Simnett presenting at CPA Congress

This year at CPA Congress we’ve been recording a number of sessions to give regional and international members a flavour of the topics and discussions that take place throughout the CPA Congress period.

In this first series of videos we’ve had the chance to see a great range of presentations from managing your personal finances to developing global assurance standards, improving professional communication and gaining invaluable career advice.

The first five recorded sessions are now online, choose the session you wish to watch below:

• Communication and relationship building – the impact on the bottom line Sharon Ferrier discusses why in a rapidly changing business environment, the need to focus on the ’story behind the number’ is paramount.

• Where’s my Money? Watch Jason Cunningham, a young and dynamic business owner and accountant, share his experience and insights about the world of finance and investment.

• Seizing opportunity – rising to the challenge when your work needs you to advance your career. Michelle Pascoe’s presentation at CPA Congress took the audience through the challenges of managing your workload and getting noticed at work. Watch to find some great take-away tips.
  

  Michelle Pascoe presenting at CPA Congress

• Neil Walker memorial lecture: Leadership and the public interest. Watch a transformative presentation by Penny Armytage speaking about her experience leading internal change at the Department of Justice, building a whole-of-government culture, responding to government priorities, and supporting emerging and future leaders.

• Improving credibility of Carbon Emission Disclosures – the development of an International Assurance Standard. In this annual Bill Birkett memorial lecture Professor Roger Simnett FCPA, Head of the School of Accounting at the University of NSW examines how the international auditing and assurance standard setting process is addressing the issues brought about by global warming and environmental sustainability.

Stay tuned for more videos, we’ll be recording a number of sessions from CPA Congress in Perth and Adelaide in November. These sessions will be available on the CPA Congress blog.

Day 3 of CPA Congress in Sydney has included the Chairman of ASX, an independent forensic investigator, the director of the Australian Tax Centre for KPMG and a gymnast who showed off his talent.

Brennon Dowrick shows his talent

Brennon Dowrick, former Olympic gymnast, certainly entertained today as he shared his story of success with hundreds of delegates at CPA Congress Business lunch. He says the pommel horse is the hardest gymnastic aparatus and when he first used it he nearly hurt himself.

CPA Australia's NSW Division General Manager Ron Switzer FCPA is asked to try the pommel horse

Brennon worked trirelessly for years mastering the pommel horse and managed to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth games when he was 18 years old. He was chosen as a 10 year old to attend the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, he says not for his talent but his determination.

He shared with guests what the importance of laying great foundations. He says his success at mastering the pommel horse has been because he had laid great founations, meaning he could handle a hurdle and not slip too far.

Brennon demontrates one his many falls when laying foundations

David Gonski FCPA, Chairman of ASX among others, also shared his knowledge of success today. He spoke about leadership and the best and worst attributes in leaders he has observed over the years. Some of the keys to successful leadership he shared included having long term vision and focus.

David Gonski FCPA

David also pointed out the importance of vanity, appealing to it in others and putting your own in perspective. Some of his other points on leadership included the importance of thinking and challenging the staus quo; and integrity and honesty.

Day 4 of CPA Congress will see Rick Romanin FCPA, Company Secretary with Greyhound Australia take the stage and Tony Faure the former Chief Executive with Nine MSN among others.

Leadership and the public interest

Penny Armytage, Secretary of the Department of Justice, will speak about her experience leading internal change at the Department of Justice, building a whole-of-government culture, responding to government priorities, and supporting emerging and future leaders.

Live: 5.30pm – 6.30pm (Melbourne time) Wednesday 14 October

Watch the recorded video here.

It’s a wrap for Queensland’s CPA Congress 2009!

The Sunshine State boasted an outstanding line-up of speakers – Dan Mulligan (NASA’s Risk Management Specialist), Rick Romanin FCPA (Company Secretary, Greyhound), Andrew Flannery (CFO, Flight Centre), Jonty Bush (Young Australian of the Year 2009), Scott Pape (The Barefoot Investor) and Noel Whittaker FCPA (bestselling author and one of Australia’s favourite money-managment gurus).

So what are people saying about this year’s Brisbane event?

The team at CPA Australia are roving at CPA Congresses across the nation to capture the buzz and hear the feedback.

Check out the great voxpops from Brisbane on You Tube:

Who knows, you might even spot yourself…

The baton is now handed to Melbourne and Sydney this week.

Enjoy!

Jason Cunningham, a young and dynamic business owner and accountant, shares his experience and insights about the world of finance and investment. Jason talks straight and calls it as he sees it. During this presentation he will discuss how to earn more money – and keep more of it.

Live: 2.30pm – 3.30pm (Melbourne time)

Watch recorded video here.