For immediate release
21 October 2020
Melbourne, Australia
ACCOUNTANTS SUPPORTIVE OF PANDEMIC RESPONSE BUT URGE GREATER NATIONAL UNITY
The accounting profession supports the way Australian governments have managed COVID-19, but urgesgreater national unity and transparency, according to CPA Australia.
In October, CPA Australia, which is one of the world’s largest accounting bodies, conducted an online survey of644 members to ascertain their attitudes to government responses to COVID-19. The survey results providestatistically robust evidence to inform the organisation’s ongoing policy and advocacy activities in response toCOVID-19.
CPA Australia General Manager External Affairs Dr Jane Rennie said, “CPA Australia members have a strongsense of public interest, and this was reflected in their responses.
“Respondents ranked public health as the single highest priority, followed by long-term economic recoveryplanning. Taken together, long-term and short-term economic recovery planning outranked public health as apriority.
“Although a majority of respondents believed that border closures have contributed positively to public
health, the vast majority thought they have had a negative impact on the Australian economy.”
At a national level, 71.5 per cent of respondents rated the Federal Government’s response to the pandemic as‘good’ or ‘very good’. Respondents were more mixed about the impact and effectiveness of state governmentactions.
The Victorian Government’s response to the pandemic was more polarising. Victorian-based respondents werefrustrated by a perceived lack of decision-making consistency and transparency in that State.
Dr Rennie said, “The prolonged lockdown has undoubtedly contributed to a more pessimistic view of
government decision making in Victoria.
“Overall optimism regarding business conditions, employment conditions and the economy is not high.
Seventy-three per cent of Victorians were not optimistic or only slightly optimistic about business conditions,compared to 60 per cent of other Australians on the same measure.”
Regardless of their state of residence, respondents wanted governments at all levels to show greater nationalunity when responding to the impacts of the pandemic.
“Over 86 per cent of respondents rated having a unified national approach as ‘very’ or ‘extremely important’for managing COVID-19,” Dr Rennie said.
“Having multiple state and national approaches was not viewed favourably by respondents and was seen bysome as associated with political game playing.”
In comments provided, several respondents also highlighted the need for increased transparency and clarity of government announcements, to assist individuals and businesses to understand how announced measures apply
About CPA Australia
CPA Australia is one of the world's largest accounting bodies, with more than 166,000 members working in 100countries and regions and supported by 19 offices globally. Our core services to members include education,training, technical support and advocacy. Employees and members work together with local and internationalbodies to represent the views and concerns of the profession to governments, regulators, industries, academiaand the community. Visitcpaaustralia.com.au
Media contact: Dr Jane Rennie on +61 425 869 017 or media@cpaaustralia.com.au
澳洲注册会计师资质受到全球雇主的广泛认可，在亚洲市场亦有超过60年的历史沉淀。公会在香港、新加坡、马来西亚等主要亚洲城市、大洋洲和欧洲均设有分会，支持会员的国际化事业发展。更多澳洲CPA资讯，请关注正保会计网校澳洲cpa栏目。 2021年正保会计网校澳洲cpa课程助您备考，点击了解课程详情>>
更多推荐：
了解详情20000元/4科
