The announcement today from the Professional Standards Councils, advising that the CPA Australia professional standards scheme will cease on 8 October 2017, is a further direct blow to CPA Australia practitioners. We respect the right of the Professional Standards Councils to make their determinations in the public interest and we need to work collaboratively to provide a solution to CPA Australia members. This is not about revenue raising or membership growth. This is about ensuring more than 7,000 CPA Australia practitioners have a pathway to continue to practice with confidence in the best interests of their clients.
We have been actively working with the Professional Standards Councils over many months and we are very keen to engage with any member of CPA Australia who will be adversely affected by this development.
Professional bodies have an obligation to ensure we are raising the bar of professionalism. We see this as a core business. This is why we have introduced an innovative MBA as our professional program and formed direct research centres on matters related to our profession and small business. The work of professional bodies is not about the body itself or the personnel involved. It is and it always should be about adding value to members to assist their clients and businesses to grow. At the IPA, we take our obligations to our members seriously and we continually strive to live up to their expectations.
For any inquiry regarding the implications of this announcement, please call toll free 1800 625 625 www.publicaccountants.org.au
Damien Moore FIPA FFA, president and chairman of the board
