Last week, CPA Australia and the University of Melbourne marked 85 years of the collaborated Annual Research Lecture.
This year the lecture focused on the role of accountants and reporting requirements in the not-for-profit sector.
To continue the long-standing tradition between CPA Australia and the University of Melbourne, the lecture was presented by federal government director and deputy president of CPA Australia’s Victorian Divisional Council, Mel Yates FCPA.
CPA Australia and the University of Melbourne said the lecture “has seen some of the greatest and most respected minds in accounting, business and finance” present to students and other attendees over the years.
The lecture discussed what has been achieved in over a decade since the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) was established.
The lecture was titled ‘Charity reporting: Exploring the balance between trust and confidence and unnecessary burden’ and outlined the role accountants have played historically, as well as upcoming industry opportunities and challenges.
CPA Australia president Dale Pinto FCPA said the Annual Research Lecture boasts a rich history of tackling the significant issues and trends within the accounting profession.
“We take great pride in our partnership with the University of Melbourne,” Pinto said.
“Over the years, attendees have experienced countless memorable lectures that have informed and inspired their professional journeys and beyond.”
“This year’s lecture by Mel Yates, focusing on the charity sector and the critical role of accountants, continued this esteemed tradition and we thank Mel for such an engaging session, and all who attended.”
According to the joint bodies, the lecture featured reflections on the ACNC Charity Register containing “hundreds of thousands” of annual lodgements from registered charities.
In addition, there were reflections of “tens of thousands” of financial reports and the impact this had on trust and confidence in charities in the context of continuing regulatory reforms and societal expectations.
Pinto said attendees were given valuable insight into the charity sector, the benefits of charity reporting, the associated costs and the implications for accounting and governance research in practice.
Head of the department of accounting at the University of Melbourne, Brad Potter, said it was a “great address” on such a socially and economically important sector.
“Mel’s insights gave us many opportunities for future research on financial sustainability and what good governance looks like in the charity sector,” Potter said.
“As the longest running lecture series at the University and one of the longest in the world, this lecture is an important part of the landscape in accounting in Australia.”
“We were thrilled that Mel was able to deliver this year’s address.”
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