Collaboration Creates Powerful Asia-Pacific Accountancy Bloc

1 September 2010 – A new collaboration between the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants (NZICA) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (ICAA) will create a powerful alliance between the two organisations and cement the chartered accountant qualification as the foremost professional designation for accountants within the Asia-Pacific region.

A governance board has been established to oversee the collaboration comprising the ICAA president, the NZICA chairman, board directors from each institute and the two chief executives.

NZICA chief executive Terry McLaughlin said the new alliance with ICAA recognises that New Zealand’s economic development will be strengthened by working closely with Australia.

“It is widely known that it is in our best interests to be aligned with Australia. Our governments are presently working towards creating a single economic market, including regulatory harmonisation. The accounting standards boards have announced steps towards the convergence of accounting standards. All these initiatives aim to develop a low-cost, innovative and more seamless trans-Tasman operating environment for businesses which we believe can extend through to our members.”

“Many of the larger accounting firms and corporates are also increasingly viewing the trans-Tasman environment as one market,” said Mr McLaughlin.

Commenting on the collaboration, ICAA chief executive officer Graham Meyer says, “The aims of the collaboration are to strengthen the leadership of the chartered accountancy profession into the future and provide greater value to members on both sides of the Tasman.”

“Many of our members are chief executives, chief financial officers and business advisers for organisations operating within the Asia-Pacific region. This collaboration brings the institutes even closer together to support the increasing globalisation of the chartered accountancy profession.”

Both NZICA and ICAA are members of the Global Accounting Alliance.

The collaboration initially focuses on four key areas: collaborating on the Chartered Accountants Program; further development of member products and services; joint marketing activities; and shared Information Technology systems to provide new or enhanced online member services and benefits.

ENDS

BUDGET 2012:
Parliament Debate Live - Video Of Budget 2011
Keith Ng Interactive Graphic: How the Budget Breaks Down
BUDGET 2012 - FULL COVERAGE: Reports / Analysis - Press Kit - Reaction (from everybody) - Previews (from everybody) - Pre-Budget Announcements

Gordon Campbell: On the Budget’s Spreadsheet Victories

It wasn’t as if expectations were sky high, exactly. Chances are, it was always more likely that we’d be seeing Bigfoot rampage through the Beehive lock-up than catch a glimpse of a credible growth agenda from this government. More >>

Sludge Budget Report - Short The Dollar! MEMO: To international bankers FROM: C.D. Sludge Please short the dollar! It'll be good for both you and us. And you know you want to. Greexit, Eurogeddon... watch out... flight to quality and all that. Follow your instincts. The NZ Debt Management Office has been so surprised at the unprecedentedly low interest rates that it can borrow at that it has already entirely pre-funded the 2013 fiscal deficit - all $8 billion of it! More >>

Pattrick Smellie Comment: Doddling along the best we can hope forCriticising Budgets for lacking vision or imagination is like shooting fish in a barrel, but even so, this year's Budget again feels like a missed opportunity. Perhaps it's the intrusion of real world needs that means the government couldn't make better political use of the $558.8 million it expects to gather in its first partial asset sale. More >>