Our latest insights

With less than one week to go until Labor hands down its first Federal Budget, it will be interesting to see what the Government will do to help set up the future of Australia. Our economy – like many others around the world – is still experiencing supply chain pressures, and with a potential global recession looming, there are some steps the Government could take to ensure Australia’s economic strength over the long term.

When issuing your instructions to an accounting expert, the correct wording of the instructions is very important.

As we watch the ramifications of the recent widespread data breach continue to play out in the media and on the floor of Federal Parliament, I keep reflecting on the requirements of APRA Prudential Standards CPS 234: Information Security and the draft Prudential Standard CPS 230: Operational Risk Management. If ever there was any doubt in the minds of Boards or Management as to why the focus on cyber security and operational resilience, then the current situation brings this into stark focus.

Wills, estates and the transfer of assets are hot topics as Australia approaches the largest intergenerational transition of wealth ever. Once a simple concept, the transition of wealth is now a maze of complex family arrangements and structures which work well to preserve assets for the next generation, however they can lead to a hefty serving of tax if not dealt with appropriately.

Asset tracing is a process whereby forensic accountants and investigators ‘follow the money’ by locating assets of value to an individual or company that have been misappropriated. Asset tracing is usually undertaken for the purposes of recovery, often as part of formal insolvency processes or in support of ongoing litigation or fraud investigations. It involves a complex analysis to identify assets and the flow of funds, requiring a combined skillset of forensic accounting, investigation and technology. Engaging forensic accountants specialising in asset tracing can make a substantial difference in what misappropriated assets are recovered and exactly how much.

A good governance structure will help you embed your values, goals and visions into you Family Office.

APRA has released draft Prudential Standard CPS 230 Operational Risk Management for comment. CPS 230 will replace CPS 231: Outsourcing and CPS 232: Business Continuity, and the sector specific standards HPS 231, SPS 231 and SPS 232. What is operational resilience? Operational risk management analyses and defines risks associated with people, processes, and systems. Operational resilience defines the approach to managing operational risks.

Australia needs a strong innovation and R&D led agenda to grow our current economic standing and develop new competitive industries to drive productivity into the future. With the Government due to hand down the 2022-2023 Federal Budget on 25 October, our experts have provided their insights about what innovation measures we can expect to see from the new Government.

Outrages around quality care shortfalls, COVID-19 outbreaks in residential aged care facilities, coupled with the recent Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, have unfortunately painted a bad picture of the Australian aged care sector. This has affected the number of workers in the field and resulted in poor uptake of nursing degrees. That’s why many providers are relying on the approaching Federal Budget for investment to drive better outcomes in aged care by supporting its predominant capital – the workforce.

Succession planning is a key issue that all will eventually have to face. While some businesses would have considered a family business successor, what is often overlooked are internal risks.

Australia has relied heavily on businesses and consumers to lead the way on emissions reduction to tackle climate change. Several Australian states have had to develop their own policies and roadmaps to progress the clean energy transition and enable private sector investment outside the national framework. This presents risks and challenges if not managed carefully.

Considering Australia’s significant fintech and financial sector experience, it’s no surprise Victoria’s recent Intersekt Festival focused on leveraging Australia’s fintech market to its full potential.