CPA Australia CEO Geoff Rankin FCPA reports on activities carried out on behalf of members.
Meeting with assistant treasurer
Together with president Alex Malley, I met with the assistant treasurer and minister for competition and consumer affairs, Chris Bowen MP, in Sydney in late January. The minister indicated he was focused on consulting widely on portfolio issues to get the policy right and test his government's position, and will be calling on CPA Australia in this process.
We also raised specific issues including the National tax agents standards and tax consultation arrangements, and anticipate providing updates in these areas in the near future.
Serious about super
Recently we have been encouraging CPA Australia members and staff to circulate links to the Learn to love your super mockumentry posted on YouTube about the unrequited love Superannuation has for his owner, Kim, a Gen Y member of the workforce enjoying living for the moment.
CPA Australia is serious about the importance of superannuation, especially about getting the message across to Gen Y, and that's why we've taken this different communication approach. We are confident that this new approach will further cement our reputation in the community as a forward-thinking organisation that takes up issues in the public interest and of course, get members of Gen Y to start thinking about their super.
The merits of the Learn to love your super campaign, as well as other key superannuation issues, were discussed in a meeting between CPA Australia and the new government minister for superannuation and corporate regulation, Senator Nick Sherry, in early February.
Garnaut review
CPA Australia has provided comments to the Garnaut review secretariat on its first issues paper, Climate change: Land use: agriculture and forestry. Although the Australian emissions trading scheme (AETS) will be the central climate change policy initiative, CPA Australia is of the view that other policy initiatives should be pursued that complement and build upon the AETS.
These policy initiatives, whether regulatory, tax or other fiscal initiatives, should encourage the deployment of existing technology that reduces emissions and energy use (early action) and investment in developing new technology. Given that emissions from the agricultural and forestry sectors are unlikely to be included in the AETS, at least in the medium term, the climate change policy responses for this sector must involve a range of other mechanisms.
The government will consider Professor Garnaut's recommendations before setting interim emission trading targets for 2020.
Standard business reporting
CPA Australia has welcomed the recent announcement by the federal government that it was beginning the tender process for the development of core services infrastructure for the Standard Business Reporting Program.
CPA Australia will convey to the federal government the need to oversee the development of SBR in conjunction with the state, territory and local governments to maximise the cost reduction to business. The Standard business reporting program harmonises the definitions, procedures and reporting requirements for information provided to governments. These measures will reduce the reporting burden imposed on the business community.
Agencies, including the ABS, Australian prudential regulation authority, ASIC, the ATO and the state revenue offices, will collaborate to achieve the maximum possible benefits to the business community in reducing the costs of red tape.
Victorian submission
CPA Australia has lodged a submission for the 2008 / 09 budget period with the Victorian government outlining a range of recommendations regarding tax reform, climate change, skilling of the workforce and the need for greater harmonisation of corporate regulatory requirements for the private not-for-profit sector.
Reference: March 2008, volume 78:02, p. 15
