THE Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) has engaged senior adviser to the Office of International Trade at the US Small Business Administration (SBA), Eugene Cornelius, Jr to present and co-facilitate a major conference focusing on Australia’s flagging productivity on September 4 and 5 at Deakin University Downtown in Melbourne.

Mr Cornelius was responsible for the establishment of the SBA’s Office of International Trade and previously, as deputy associate administrator of that Office, overseeing four program divisions: Federal State and Trade; International Trade Finance; International Affairs & Trade Policy; and Administration & Operations.

In addition to his SBA role, Mr Cornelius has accepted a one-year detail with the International Council for Small Business (ICSB), with headquarters in Washington DC.

Mr Cornelius will be joined by fellow American, Dr Winslow Sargeant.  Dr Sargeant is ICSB’s President Elect and Managing Director of S&T.  Previously, he was the Chief Counsel for Advocacy appointed by and reporting direct to President Barack Obama.  Dr Sargeant was also a managing director at a Madison, Winsconsin-based capital firm, Venture Investor LLC.

Mr Cornelius and Dr Sargeant will form part of a large line-up of talented presenters at the Small Business: Big Vision event being run by the IPA Deakin SME Research Centre on 4 and 5 September 2019.  Keynote speakers include the Hon Michael Sukkar MP, Minister for Housing and Assistant Treasurer, and Ms Kate Carnell, the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman.

Other international speakers include: Prof Charles Matthews, University of Cincinnati; 2017-18 Fulbright US Scholar, USA; and Ms Diah Yusuf, entrepreneur, business consultant, Vice President ICSB, Indonesia.

Details of the program can be found at:  www.publicaccountants.org.au/events/smallbusinessbigvision

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THE Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Kate Carnell has praised Beyond Blue for supporting the mental health of small business owners.

Beyond Blue has today released a free online guide that provides business advisers, such as accountants, bookkeepers and industry association representatives, with practical tips about how to support their clients and members.

“I commend Beyond Blue for taking a holistic approach to supporting our small business community,” Ms Carnell said.

“Many small business owners may not be aware that the very worries that are keeping them up at night – be it cash flow, customer demands or paying suppliers – can actually cause high levels of psychological distress and have serious impacts on their mental and physical health.

“Their trusted advisers are in a good position to notice if their client is struggling to cope with these issues and to start that important conversation about their mental health," she said.

“The guide is easy to navigate and provides business advisers with the tools they need to support their clients, without formal training in counselling.

“We know it makes good business sense to invest in wellbeing. Research by Pricewaterhouse Coopers has shown that every dollar spent on creating a mentally health workplace results in a positive return on investment of 2.3.”

The guide is available for download at www.bb.org.au/supportingsmallbusiness

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CPA AUSTRALIA has welcomed and said it supports the Federal Government’s announcement of an extension to the transition period for registered financial advisers to meet the examination and education requirements of the new standards.

CPA Australia’s public practice manager Keddie Waller said, “While we are supportive of the principles of these reforms, it is important to balance their impact against maintaining the ongoing availability, quality and affordability of advice, as stated by the government.

"The additional one year granted by the government to complete the Financial Advisors Standards and Ethics Authority (FASEA) exam and the additional two years granted to meet the FASEA qualification requirements will help smooth the transition for financial advisers,” Ms Waller said.

“We note, however, that there are elements, such as recognition of prior learning, that are still being finalised by FASEA.

“CPA Australia will continue to work closely with the government and FASEA to help smooth the transition for our members, as there are further opportunities for improvement.”

www.cpaaustralia.com.au

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THE Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) has welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement that it will give existing financial planners more time to pass the Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority (FASEA) exam and comply with the FASEA education standard.

Senator Jane Hume, Assistant Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and Financial Technology, announced today that the Federal Government will restore the full two-year period to pass the exam by extending the deadline for 12 months to 1 January 2022. The government will also extend the deadline for meeting the FASEA education standard by 24 months to 1 January 2026.

Dante De Gori, CEO of the FPA, said the government’s decision to announce their intention to extend the original deadline means existing financial planners are no longer being unfairly disadvantaged by delays from FASEA in rolling-out its exam and its new code of ethics.

“The government has done the right thing by proposing to extend the deadlines for all existing financial planners to sit and pass the FASEA exam and meet the education standard," Mr De Gori said.

“The proposed new deadlines will give existing financial planners more time to study, ensuring that these reforms are successful at raising the bar across the profession.

“We’re pleased that Minister Hume has listened to the feedback from our members and been willing to work with the FPA and AFA jointly to deliver a better outcome for all financial planners and their clients.”