OVER THE NEXT two days, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Milton Dick MP is in Central Queensland with the Leader of the Nationals, David Littleproud MP, as part of the Parliament in Schools program.

Students will learn about federation, democracy and the Australian Parliament, as well as hear first-hand from the Speaker and their local member on what a typical day looks like in their electorate and when they are in Parliament House for sitting weeks.

With the Leader of the Nationals, the Speaker will visit:

• Longreach State High School, Longreach;
• Muttaburra State School, Muttaburra;
• Longreach School of Distance Education, Longreach;
• Longreach State School, Longreach (including Ilfracombe State School, Isisford State School and Stonehenge State School who will attend on the day); and
• Our Lady’s Catholic Primary School, Longreach.

“Since I launched this program, I have visited over 135 schools across Australia – from King Island to Far North Queensland to Nullagine, and now to Longreach," Mr Dick said.

“The Parliament in Schools program is an integral part of improving civics education across Australia.

“These students are our future leaders, and it is important that we equip them with the information and tools they need, to go on to be active and engaged citizens.”

About the Parliament in Schools program

Launched in September 2022, the Parliament in Schools program is a bi-partisan initiative to make civics education accessible to students regardless of their location. In collaboration with local federal members, the Speaker is visiting schools across Australia to bring parliament to them.

The program is an extension to well-established PEO onsite, digital and outreach education programs available to schools across Australia.

It also complements the existing PEO online and print resources that are curriculum-aligned, for Australian teachers and students.

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CHARTERED ACOUNTANTS ANZ (CA ANZ) has acknowledged the work of the Parliamentary Joint Committee into Ethics and Professional Accountability: Structural Challenges in the Audit, Assurance and Consultancy Industry and has engaged extensively with the committee through appearances, submissions and responding to questions on notice.

"The committee’s report is extensive and requires time to be carefully considered," a CA ANZ spokesperson said. "On initial review, we are pleased to see some recommendations echo our own Going Further roadmap. 

"In particular, the strengthening of resourcing and effectiveness of the chief government auditor regulator, Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), and other bodies such as the Companies Auditors Disciplinary Board, as well as recommendations in relation to whistleblowers and whistleblower protections.

"We also welcome recommendations focused on improving accountability and transparency of large firms. Enhancing the reporting and governance obligations of large professional services firms is also a central tenant of our roadmap to enhancing trust and accountability within the profession," the spokesperson said.

"Protecting the term ‘accountant’ with legislation (Recommendation 27), so that only qualified accountants who are members of a professional body can use it, is a very positive step to safeguarding our profession and points to the valuable role our members play in the Australian economy.

"However, there are also recommendations that do not appear to consider evidence provided to the committee.

"Recommendation 25, seeking a review by the Australian Government into professional accounting bodies investigatory and disciplinary processes, with a view to potentially establishing a single independent body to perform these functions, is based on an assumption there are no mechanisms in place within accounting bodies to prevent and manage conflicts of interest, the spokesperson said.

"As we clarified in our opening statement here, CA ANZ is a private membership body with by-laws that enable us to hold our members to account, and in some cases expel them from our community.

"As associations with an approved professional standards scheme and members of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), all professional accounting bodies have the same obligations to implement conduct rules and processes.

"We have already provided extensive evidence that shows our conduct and disciplinary framework is entirely independent from board and management, with the independent Professional Conduct Committee, Disciplinary Tribunal and Appeals Tribunal comprised of senior chartered accountants, lawyers, ethicists and academics.

"Our independent conduct team applies the rule of law without fear or favour, and all CA ANZ members are subject to the same conduct rules regardless of where they work.

"In 2022, we conducted an extensive review of our framework and last year our members voted in favour of a number of recommendations to strengthen our ability to respond to behaviour deemed unethical, including increasing fines for firm events fivefold.

"As we have outlined to the committee, the ability to impose significant fines, like we have seen from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), requires statutory powers under legislation. During recent appearances at both the Senate and Parliamentary Joint Committees, CA ANZ said we would gladly accept the ability to do the same, should the government choose to go down that path," the spokesperson said.

"In relation to Recommendation 3, we are not persuaded that changes to partnership caps will drive better governance or culture in firms. Partnership caps in the corporations legislation are historic and have been repealed in other jurisdictions as irrelevant. 

"CA ANZ does not shy away from scrutiny and transparency. This is why we have already taken steps to publish and proactively provide to key stakeholders a Professional Standards Annual Report for Australia, with information regarding reviews, conduct, discipline and other relevant information," the spokesperson said.

"We also currently report to the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) and Professional Standards Council (PSC). We believe Recommendation 25 is duplicated effort and does not mirror approaches in other sectors with a scheme.

"CA ANZ is continuing to review the recommendations and will provide its membership with a comprehensive response to the report in due course."

www.charteredaccountantsanz.com

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THE Joint Standing Committee on Implementation of the National Redress Scheme anticipates it will finish its inquiry into the operation of the National Redress Scheme in November 2024.

Over the course of the inquiry, the committee has received more than 50 submissions and held 11 public hearings. Evidence received has highlighted areas the committee has examined including:

• the experience of First Nations applicants and applicants with disability in their dealings with the Scheme;
• accessibility, performance and effectiveness of support services and legal advice for survivors and their advocates;
• barriers and complications experienced when accessing the Scheme, such as with language, communication and cultural safety;
• the need for increased resources for redress legal services and counselling support services to better meet demand and reduce long waiting periods;
• concerns regarding delays processing applications, the consistency of redress outcomes and the transparency of decisions.

Senator Catryna Bilyk, Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Implementation of the National Redress Scheme, said, "The committee is grateful for the submissions received later in the inquiry and is taking the time needed to ensure this evidence is considered. This has resulted in the expected completion of the inquiry to be extended from October to November."

"The evidence we have received has been extremely important to this inquiry and the committee is working hard to consider this evidence carefully and respectfully in the drafting of its report. The committee appreciates the efforts taken by contributors of this inquiry and hopes to provide a report that reflects the evidence provided throughout the inquiry."

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THE Joint Standing Committee on Treaties has tabled a report recommending the ratification of the Convention on the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation (the Marine Aids Convention).

The Convention establishes the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation, which will replace the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities and continue its work on harmonising marine navigation systems worldwide.

"A key feature of the organisation’s work has been to promote the harmonisation of marine navigation aids internationally, so that mariners can expect the same set of rules and systems no matter who’s waters they are sailing in," Committee Chair Lisa Chesters MP said.

"Although the Internal Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities was a peak body with international membership, some governments and organisations were unable to join the association because it was a non-governmental organisation. As an intergovernmental organisation, the new body will benefit from increased membership and sponsorship."

The committee supports ratification and recommends that binding treaty action be taken.

The report also contains the minor treaty action 2022 Amendments to Annexes II, VIII and IX of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.

The report can be found on the Committee website, along with further information on the inquiry.

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