As part of the legal arrangements for the merger of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants (NZICA) in 2015, the New Zealand Parliament amended the NZICA Act (to facilitate the merger). The Act requires that NZICA remain in place to regulate CA ANZ members living in New Zealand. This regulatory function cannot be delegated from NZICA to any other entity.

The Act requires NZICA to have, among other things:

• Rules that govern professional conduct and other regulatory matters for NZ resident members;
• A Code of Ethics that governs the professional conduct of NZ resident members; and
• A governing body that acts as the executive board of NZICA, that is responsible and accountable for ensuring that the statutory regulatory functions are carried out. This governing body is the NZICA Regulatory Board.

What does this mean for members?

Under these arrangements, CA ANZ members residing in New Zealand are also automatically members of NZICA. As well as being subject to CA ANZ constitutional requirements (for all matters other than regulation and conduct), members resident in New Zealand are also subject to the NZICA Act, NZICA Rules, Code of Ethics and other NZ specific regulatory requirements.

While NZICA undertakes specific statutory functions, the NZICA brand is not proactively promoted to members and the public. Many members may be unaware that NZICA is still in existence unless they are in public practice and are subject to practice reviews or other public practice requirements under the NZICA Rules or have been involved in the professional conduct process.

NZICA Regulatory Board

The Regulatory Board:

• prescribes the Code of Ethics;
• appoints, authorises delegations for, oversees and directs the permanent bodies specified in the NZICA Rules; and
• carries out any other functions or responsibilities that are conferred by the Act, any other enactment, the NZICA Rules or the CA ANZ By-Laws.

The Regulatory Board reports to the CA ANZ Board.

The Regulatory Board comprises up to six members, including the New Zealand Vice President (Ex Officio), and meets approximately four to six times per year in New Zealand.

For 2024 the Regulatory Board members are as follows:

Stephen Walker FCA (Independent Chair - NZ)
Sally Carter LLB (Independent)
Traci Houpapa MNZM (CA ANZ Board member - NZ)
Rob McDonald FCA (CA ANZ Board member - NZ)
Sarah Petersen FCA (CA ANZ Board member - NZ)
Grant Ellis FCA (New Zealand Vice President)

For general queries regarding NZICA or to contact the NZICA Regulatory Board email Beth Steele.