Maree Zanatta CPA sorts finances for the army.
Q. Tell us a about your job.
A. I am currently employed as the commanding officer of the army financial services unit with the Department of Defence. I command a unit comprising eight regular (full-time) soldiers, approximately 250 reserve (part-time) soldiers and one civilian. Our core output is the provision of independent financial management reviews. We basically assess the corporate governance of the financial transactions conducted by a unit.
In areas of weakness or high risk, we assist the unit by providing guidance and, if necessary, one-to-one training with the unit's accounting technician.
Q. Have you always been in the army?
A. I began with the ATO. From there I moved to the Queensland Police Service where I worked as an investigative accountant with the Fraud Squad in State Crime Operation. Here I was sworn as a special constable which allowed me to assist during searches and raids. This work was amazing, very interesting and rewarding, especially as I delved into the financial records of misguided accountants and lawyers, prostitutes, drug traffickers, persons accused of homicide, or fraudsters.
Q. What do you like about your job?
A. The diversity. I love the fact that generally every two to three years I am posted to a new position. With each posting, while I am still working in a finance field I am able to work with different people and develop different skills. Before this position I managed a multi-million dollar budget and worked with our coalition partners. Plus I was able to play in a tank.
Q. What do you find challenging?
A. The role I am currently in. This could be because I command a unit that has eight detachments spread across Australia and, since I became its commanding officer, we have changed our core output to focus on public monies. Or it could be because I left my husband behind in Sydney when I moved to this posting. One of us commutes on the weekends.
Q. Have you served overseas?
A. Twice. Once to East Timor and the other time in Iraq. The appeal is that you are assisting others and you have the opportunity to work in the environment you are trained for, providing financial assistance to your commander, ensuring the taxpayers money is spent in an efficient, effective and ethical manner while ensuring the troops are fed and supplied with the equipment they need to get the job done. The fact that I have been able to travel to work in a Blackhawk or a Chinook helicopter is just an added bonus.
Q. What does the future hold?
A. Technically I have two more years in this position where I intend, with my team, to strengthen the public monies product that we provide to other commanders. Then I believe I will be posted to one of two positions in Canberra. But eventually I am looking forward to a posting back home to Brisbane.
Reference: April 2008, volume 78:03
