Small Firm, Big Impact

Tinashe Kamangira FCA, the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand President for 2024, is making small and medium sized practices one of his focuses for this year.  He’s passionate about supporting SMPs in their fight to find talent and empowering Members to inspire the next generation.  In this episode hear Tinashe explain his plan to connect directly with SMPs, where being a CA has taken...

Members regularly get in contact with the CA ANZ Tax Team for support on addressing issues with the Australian Tax office. Many are frustrated with declining service standards, especially how long it is taking the ATO to address issues and poor communication from the ATO.    In this episode, Senior Tax Advocate Susan Franks CA explains how to get improved service, what CA ANZ is doing to advocate...

Global Ethics Day is an opportunity to pause and reflect on the importance of ethics in the daily work of accountants and its role in maintaining public trust in the profession more broadly. This episode examines what behaving with integrity and ethical intent looks like – and how ethics underpins the Chartered Accountant designation. We explore the trusted relationship between CA and client, the...

Note: A heads up for our listeners, the following episode discusses mental health. If this raises any issues for you, please reach out. The contact numbers for support services are listed in the episode description or CA ANZ members can also find support by searching for ‘CA Wellbeing’ on our website. CA ANZ past President Jane Stanton FCA is a thoughtful, compassionate champion for good mental he...

Facing a complex ethical dilemma is a challenge and there’s no need to do it alone. The CA Advisory Group (CAAG) offers members free and confidential guidance to help them choose a course of action. In this episode, two senior members of the CA ANZ community explain what CAAG is, the sorts of challenging ethical situations it can help with and how to access it. Ross Jackson FCA , NZ CAAG Chair and...

Climate-related disclosures, the impact on businesses and the role of accountants is front of mind right now. The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) has released its first two standards: IFRS S1 General Requirements for the Disclosure of Sustainability-related Financial Information and IFRS S2 Climate-related disclosures. The standards establish a baseline of sustainability disclo...

Do you spend much time thinking about your potential or the potential of your business? What about how to REACH your full potential? Learn about the gap between your potential as a human and what we believe we can do – personally and professionally. This tailored discussion for SMPs and sole practitioners between Andy Fell, GiFT 631 Founder and Leadership/Business coach, and Gillian , promises to...

Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) has released the Professional Conduct Framework Review Final Report, an Independent Review of the recommendations, and the Committee’s Response to the Independent Review. This comes at a time when the spotlight is on the profession, and on the powers to hold those who breach the Code of Ethics to account. In this episode, CA ANZ CEO Ainslie...

The Public Practice Program (PPP) prepares practitioners for future success as a partner or sole practitioner. It’s designed to empower new practitioners with the practical business management skills, as well as a thorough grounding in the regulatory framework, required for managing a successful practice now and in the future. The PPP has been revamped - with practitioners in New Zealand and Austr...

It’s been labelled a ‘No Frill’s budget’ by a ‘Bread and Butter’ Government – but what's actually in the 2023 New Zealand Budget? Hear from CA ANZ NZ Country Head Peter Vial FCA on the CA ANZ perspective on the 2023 NZ Budget, fresh out of the Beehive Budget lock-up. Did it strike the balance to address New Zealand’s infrastructure deficit and cost of living crisis, without increasing inflation? W...

Now the dust has settled on the Federal Budget (AU) – this episode takes Australian members through the impacts on them and their clients. Senior Tax Advocate Susan Franks and Superannuation and Financial Services Leader Tony Negline CA have more detail than what was revealed on budget night. Hear about what the Australian Tax Office is planning to target this tax time, feedback from members on ke...

There’s a lot of buzz around generative A.I. and the impacts it’ll have on workplaces. There are lots of arguments for and against for using it – where does your accounting practice sit? This episode we explore the current state of play through the lens of one small accounting practice. How is it being used, what are the benefits, what are the risks and what’s next. How can members help members co...

What do you think about professional development? Is it something you look forward to as an opportunity to gain new skills or is it more a requirement you struggle to fit into your working day. This episode explores the benefits of professional development: to your small business, your staff (if you have any) and yourself, and how to find time to regularly fit it in. Among the types of PD we explo...

Small Business Restructuring is where a chartered accountant, their client and a registered liquidator work together to deal with the debts of the small business before it’s too late. This episode uses a real-world example of the process in action to show how it all works and explains to CA ANZ members the steps to take to get their client started. The key – acting early. Find out what’s holding m...

Ponder this: "The only people who get upset when you set boundaries are the ones who benefited from you having none." How’s it feeling in your office right now? This episode’s guest says it’s like riding a rollercoaster. With just how hard accountants have worked since the pandemic, we’re focussing this episode on how to find a better work/life balance and dive into what’s getting in the way of yo...

Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand has been approved as a higher education FEE-HELP provider. It’s a game changer and a big win for the future of the profession. This episode explains why, and what it means for small and medium-sized practices who are facing inflationary pressures on their costs base. Hear how CA Program candidates and aspiring members, no matter their background, can...

Let’s be frank. We can listen better. That can be difficult when we’re genetically coded to be distracted and the world is full of notifications. If we can listen better to current/future clients, colleagues, employees, and bosses – the benefits are business-changing. This episode explains why we get distracted, uncovers bad listening habits, and offers practical solutions. You’ll find out how to...

It’s shaping up to be another big year when it comes to accounting standards and auditing changes. This episode of Small Firm, Big Impact with Amir Ghandar FCA – Chartered Accountants ANZ Reporting and Assurance Leader, takes you through what small and medium sized practices and entities can expect, where they can find the resources to help them and the latest on CA ANZ’s advocacy work as it aims...

Have you been asked by your client to provide an accountant’s letter to a financier to help them secure a new loan or mortgage? Are you unsure how you should respond, the risks and where you stand legally? This episode of Small Firm, Big Impact takes you through the latest guidance from Chartered Accountants ANZ. It explores the legal implications for accountants of financing letters, why it’s rec...

There are more accounting jobs than ever and the fight for talent is on. The 2022 Member Remuneration survey provides critical insights for accountants during this skills shortage crisis. This episode takes you through the data – who got paid what, how the profession’s gender pay gap is tracking and the latest on career breaks. There’s analysis on what it means for you and your business plus pract...

Are you an SMP lying awake at night wondering if there’s a cyber-criminal already in your digital systems waiting to pounce? Do you have enough cyber-security measures in place to protect your clients’ critical information? It can be overwhelming knowing where to start to minimise risk, especially when it feels like some of the nation’s biggest players aren’t even safe. This episode of Small Firm,...

In the blink of an eye COVID-19 transformed how we work, and as the line between the home and work office blurred, the Australian Tax Office rolled out a short-cut deduction method to help workers at tax return time. The height of the pandemic is over but flexible working arrangements are here to stay, so what's ahead for you and your clients? This episode of 'Small Firm, Big Impact, explains the...