This Month
Large companies must file climate reports from 2025
Large companies have been given a six-month reprieve on including climate-related information in their financial reports.
- Edmund Tadros
March
Watchdog gives auditors a ‘nudge’ to better identify fraud
International standard setters also want auditors to explicitly say when they agree with management’s assessment that their company is a “going concern”.
- Edmund Tadros
- Updated
- Big four consultants
Court actions against Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC
The big four consulting firms face a range of court actions over their auditing and advisory work. The list was last updated on March 18, 2024.
- Updated
- Edmund Tadros and Hannah Wootton
NAB chases MYOB and Xero with new Bookkeeper software
It is the bank’s first foray into the accounting tools market dominated by the two Australian companies, with its new product aimed at sole trader customers.
- James Eyers
EY’s new boss signals cost cuts, leadership changes
Janet Truncale is laying the groundwork for when she takes the reins at the big four accounting firm in July.
- Stephen Foley and Simon Foy
- Analysis
- Analysis
The Lehman liquidators taking on China’s Evergrande
The Alvarez & Marsal guns charged with liquidating the world’s most indebted property developer are finding it a lot harder than dealing with the former Wall St giant.
- Kaye Wiggins and Chan Ho-him
Grant Thornton’s gender pay gap favours women
The firm added 26 weeks of paid parental leave and a nine-day fortnight, which have all helped it retain female employees longer than rivals.
- Edmund Tadros
February
Evergrande’s liquidators prepare to sue PwC over audits
The big four firm audited the highly indebted developer as it grew fast during China’s real estate boom.
- Kaye Wiggins and Chan Ho-him
- Opinion
- Start-ups
‘We’re stressed and tired, and we’ve never been happier’: start-up founder
Despite the stress, sweat and tears, the founder of Modano says he is never happier than when problem-solving with his colleagues.
- Michael Hutchens
‘Deadset nightmare’: Why small business failures are soaring
MYOB CEO Paul Robson fears small businesses may not enjoy the soft landing tipped for the rest of the economy.
- Patrick Durkin
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Telstra’s mobile win comes with a professional services scare
A surprise dip in revenue from the professional services sector took the shine off the telco’s impressive mobile gains.
- James Thomson
‘No strings attached’ for nearly $1b in federal grants
Almost $1 billion of taxpayers’ money is being paid out annually in government grants that have been awarded without proper competitive assessments.
- Tom McIlroy
Skill needs of professions underpins grad intake
Early-career recruitment is a key workforce strategy for accounting and professional services firms.
- Anders Furze
Accounting body tells members to make annual pledge to be ethical
CA ANZ is introducing the yearly promise to act with integrity and competence as part of a push by the professional body to restore trust in the sector.
- Edmund Tadros
January
Young accountants land biggest pay rises but still unhappy
CA ANZ’s annual pay survey finds that 45 per cent of members with experience of five years or less secured a pay rise of 7.6 per cent or above in the past year.
- Maxim Shanahan
- Exclusive
- Big four consultants
Spotlight on consultants after big four billing rates leaked
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher declined to reveal which of the 413 firms on the management advisory panel were leaked the highly confidential data of their rivals.
- Ronald Mizen
How much better off you’ll be after July 1 tax cuts
High-income earners receive the most from the stage three tax cuts, but there’s a big discussion to be had around intergenerational equity, experts say.
- Lucy Dean
December 2023
- Exclusive
- Private equity
Pemba Capital snares stake in Rennie Advisory consulting business
The private equity firm will take 40 per cent of the founder-led business, which has aspirations of growing from 40 to 300 staff in four years.
- Aaron Weinman
November 2023
- Exclusive
- Big four consultants
Big four billing rates leaked by federal government
Highly confidential details about how much 400 consulting firms charge the federal government were accidentally leaked this month, sparking outrage and calls for a full investigation.
- Ronald Mizen and Edmund Tadros
What this legal team learned from the All Blacks
Organic growth and a raft of acquisitions have helped this professional services firm expand.
- Agnes King