On 5 March, CA ANZ CEO Ainslie van Onselen chaired an exclusive online member event with the Australian Federal Treasurer, Hon Josh Frydenberg MP, and New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Hon Grant Robertson, that was attended by 4000 guests.

This discussion covered the important issues that will help shape policy on both sides of the Tasman and provided an exciting opportunity for our members to hear directly from key policy makers on the lessons learned from the pandemic and gain insights into future government measures and this year's budgets. 

Members also learned more about the valuable role of accountants in the COVID-19 recovery efforts and how CAs can continue to make a difference. 

The Conversation continued

More than 780 guests joined us on 18 March for a Sharing Knowledge webinar  with our advocacy team which delved deeper into the important issues discussed in our conversation with the political leaders, and revealed the results of our member survey and Poll in February. We shared our policy priorities for 2020, outlined the road ahead in the lead up to this year's budgets and answered member questions live. 

Ainslie van Onselen

Ainslie is an experienced, strategic executive with an extensive background across financial services and law. As a seasoned business leader with strong commercial acumen and a proven track record of growth, she has extensive experience in change management, talent development, forward thinking strategy development and execution, digital transformation, advocacy and risk and compliance governance.

Prior to joining CA ANZ, Ainslie held senior roles over six years at Westpac Group including Managing Director of RAMS, General Manager of Deposits & Unsecured Lending, Chief of Staff to the CEO and Global Director of Women's Markets and Inclusion & Diversity.

With a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Australia and a Masters of Applied Finance, Ainslie has over 20 years experience including as a litigation law partner, law academic and as a non-executive director of various listed, government and not-for-profit organisations including membership bodies. She is currently the Chair of Kambala Girls School, Rose Bay, a Non-Executive Director at share registry company Automic and a Commissioner of Legal Aid NSW. She is also the former Deputy Chairperson of the Insurance Commission of WA.

Hon Josh Frydenberg MP

Josh Frydenberg was elected to the Australian Parliament in 2010 as the Member for Kooyong. In August 2018, he was appointed Treasurer of Australia and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, having previously served as Minister for the Environment and Energy, Minister for Resources, Energy and Northern Australia, Assistant Treasurer and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister since the 2013 election.

Josh has Law and Economics degrees both with Honours from Monash University. He went on to graduate with a Masters in International Relations from Oxford University which he attended on a Commonwealth Scholarship and a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.

Josh was a Senior Adviser to Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and Prime Minister John Howard and was a Director of Global Banking at Deutsche Bank AG. He is a keen tennis player having represented Australia at the World University Games in England in 1991 and the United States in 1993.

Hon Grant Robertson

Grant Robertson has been the Member of Parliament for Wellington Central since November 2008. He was appointed Deputy Prime Minister in the 2020 Labour Government, alongside Minister of Finance, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister for Racing, Minister for Sport and Recreation, and Minister Responsible for the Earthquake Commission.

Following the 2017 election he was appointed Minister of Finance, Minister for Sport and Recreation, and Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage. Grant joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 1997, managing the New Zealand Overseas Aid Programme to Samoa and the working on global environment and development issues when he was posted to the United Nations in New York.

He studied politics at Otago University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in 1995. At university he was the President of the Otago University Students’ Association and became Co-President of the New Zealand University Students Association.