THE Select Committee on Regional Development and Decentralisation will convene a roundtable in Canberra today to kick off its inquiry. 

The Chair of the Committee, Dr John McVeigh MP said, “the Committee is bringing together a panel of experts to learn more about best practice in regional development, and how best to support sustainable rural and regional towns.  This is an exciting opportunity to hear from leading experts and practitioners in the field, which will help the Committee to identify some key issues for closer examination throughout the inquiry.” Dr McVeigh said. 

The panel will include the following people:

• Mr Jack Archer: CEO Regional Australia Institute;
• Professor Andrew Beer: University of South Australia, Chair Regional Studies Association;
• Professor John Cole OAM: Executive Director of the Institute for Resilient Regions at the University of Southern Queensland;
• Ms Anne Dunn: Director, Every Voice Inc;
• Professor Fiona Haslam McKenzie: Co-Director/Senior Principal Research Fellow, Centre for Regional Development, University of Western Australia; and
• Professor Tony Sorensen: University of New England

The roundtable is open to the public. Details of the roundtable proceedings, and a transcript of the discussion will be available on the Committee’s website.

Roundtable details:

Monday 7 August 2017, 11.00 am to 12.30 pm, Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra.

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live

Select Committee on Regional Development and Decentralisation

Interested members of the public may wish to track the committee via the website. 

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THE Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) has welcomed the public notification by the Professional Standards Councils (PSC) that its national scheme has been approved. IPA members who hold a professional practice certificate will be covered by a Professional Standards Scheme which is now being implemented nationally.

“We are very pleased that the PSC have endorsed an extension of our existing scheme in New South Wales to the rest of Australia via mutual recognition,” said IPA chief executive officer, Andrew Conway.

“We are going through a formal process including the statutory consultation period and liaising with all States and Territories to implement the relevant legislative instruments. These are technical processes and no issues are anticipated. It is akin to a Bill passing through Parliament but awaiting Royal assent.

“The IPA supports the principle guiding professional standards legislation.  The very existence of the PSC Schemes provides clarity and certainty to professionals and importantly the public that the professional they are engaging is appropriately covered. This is why we have been working constructively with the PSC to implement a national Scheme.

“Our scheme is very straightforward. All IPA members in practice must maintain a minimum professional indemnity insurance cover of $1m.

“It is important to note that the Scheme reflects the professional standing of the IPA membership which we respect. Ultimately members of the public trust public accountants; our members need to live up to those expectations.

“We will continue to work with the PSC and the State and Territory governments to have the Scheme enshrined in law as soon as possible.

“Members of CPA Australia wishing to retain protection of a limited liability scheme should consider applying for an IPA Professional Practice Certificate now and they will become automatically covered when it becomes law very soon,” said Mr Conway.

publicaccountants.org.au

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts will conduct a public hearing in Canberra this week to hear from well-known actor Roy Billing.

The Chair of the committee, Mr Luke Howarth MP, stated that ‘Roy Billing is a household name in Australia, appearing in films like Rabbit Proof Fence and the Dish, and television shows like Underbelly, House Husbands and Blue Heelers.’

‘The Committee looks forward to hearing from this veteran of our screen industry and discussing some of the issues facing actors in Australia today’, added Mr Howarth.

Public hearing details:

Wednesday 9 August 2017, 12:45 pm to 1.30 pm, Committee Room 1R6, Parliament House, Canberra.

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live

 www.aph.gov.au/FilmTV

Interested members of the public may wish to track the committee via the website. 

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QUEENSLAND's Inaugural Chief Entrepreneur, and founder of ASX-listed Blue Sky Alternative Investments, Mark Sowerby will provide the Gold Coast business community with a rare insight into the dynamic world of entrepreneurship at the Bond Business Leaders Forum on 10 August.

Regarded as one of the state’s great business success stories, Mr Sowerby was appointed to the newly established role of Chief Entrepreneur in 2016, with the brief of representing Queensland start-ups as an ambassador to nurture innovation and encourage investment.

With a background in agriculture and commodities trading, Mr Sowerby launched asset management business Blue Sky Alternative Investments in 2006, investing in private equity, venture capital, private real estate, water, infrastructure, hedge funds and agriculture.

Bond Business School Executive Dean, Professor Terry O'Neill, said Mr Sowerby's rapid rise to the top of the start-up community was inspirational, ideally positioning him to lead the discussion on the triumphs and trials of entrepreneurship.

"Mark will be discussing his successful 2015 swim across the English Channel - a 32 kilometre journey that he completed in 14 hours - as a parallel for the challenges faced in the fast-paced world of entrepreneurship, along with sharing his own experiences in the corporate world," he said.

"In just 10 years, Mark grew Blue Sky from a start-up to one of Australia's top 300 listed companies, with a market capitalisation of more than $500 million and a team of more than 80 staff in Australia and New York, before handing over the reins last year to spend more time with his family and help with projects that have a positive social impact.

“His impressive list of achievements and accolades includes being named Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Queensland in 2015 and serving on the board of the Starlight Children’s Hospital Foundation and Racing Queensland.

"Anyone who has had the privilege of hearing Mark speak will know he is an inspiring and entertaining speaker, and I know those who attend the forum will walk away with a great insight into what it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur."

The Bond Business Leaders Forum, featuring Mark Sowerby, will be held at Bond University's Princeton Room on Thursday, 10 August. Tickets are $40 each,  $180 for a pack of five, or $300 for a pack of 10 tickets.

For more information and to register for the event, visit https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/bond-business-leaders-forum-presents-mr-mark-sowerby-founder-blue-sky-private-equity-what-is-registration-35503031523

Who:   Queensland’s Chief Entrepreneur and Blue Sky Alternative Investments founder, Mark Sowerby

What: Bond Business Leaders Forum puts entrepreneurship under the spotlight

When: Thursday, 10 August: 5.45pm to 8.30pm

Where:  Bond University, Princeton Room, Level 3, University Centre (Building 6)

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