CA ANZ’s advocacy in the public interest this year has been both extensive and impactful. Through targeted advocacy, media and government engagement which addressed key issues affecting the profession in Australia, New Zealand and globally, CA ANZ achieved significant improvements in member ratings of both our advocacy influence and representation of the professional interests of chartered accountants.

Here, we list CA ANZ’s achievements in FY25, highlighting our New Zealand team’s multi-year approach of direct engagement, strong submissions and clear proposals which earned policy makers’ approval.

Tax

CA ANZ has successfully advocated for important tax reform measures.

Following several years of advocacy, in March 2025 the government passed legislation which introduced a permanent emergency tax relief framework, allowing quick activation of targeted tax relief after major adverse events such as floods or earthquakes. At the time of writing, components of this suite have been used (or switched on) to support recovery efforts after substantial flooding in late June and July in the Nelson Tasman region.

This emergency scenario is exactly what we had in mind when advocating for permanent settings that would allow government to provide tax relief options quickly for businesses, so they have one less matter to worry about.

CA ANZ also achieved greater transparency of legislative taxation remedials under consideration, with the publication of Inland Revenue’s Tax Remedials Log on its website that was launched in December 2024.

We continue to advocate for a reimagined and simplified fringe benefit tax (FBT) regime. An officials’ issues paper was released in April, which focused on options to reduce complexity and compliance burden for motor vehicles and other benefits.

CA ANZ’s calls for accelerated depreciation to stimulate business were heard by the government. We welcomed the 2025 budget’s introduction of the investment boost tax incentive, which allows businesses to deduct 20% of new asset costs in the year of purchase.

We continued to lead the tax debate, highlighting New Zealand’s over-reliance on personal income tax and calling for a broader tax base to meet future revenue needs and changing demographics.

Audit and assurance

At the end of 2024, the New Zealand Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs announced that auditor liability settings would be considered as part of the broader capital market reforms being undertaken. Arrangements to address auditor liability appropriately were always intended to accompany the Auditor Regulation Act 2011, and the Law Commission recommended capped liability for auditors more than a decade ago.

The current unlimited liability position is out of step with international settings, particularly Australia, and has implications for New Zealand’s already thin audit market. So, we are pleased to be engaging with the minister and the government on what appropriate settings should look like.

Another area of focus is advocating to adopt the auditing standard for less complex entities. We are of the view that it should be made available for use in New Zealand, given we have many less complex entities that are either required to have their financial statements audited or seek out audits voluntarily. We welcomed the issue of International Standard on Auditing (New Zealand) for Audits of Financial Statements of Less Complex Entities (ISA (NZ) for LCE) in mid-2025.

Financial reporting

CA ANZ continued engaging investors, preparers, auditors and other key stakeholders on digital reporting, and conducted research to inform ongoing policy dialogue.

Immigration

CA ANZ continues to advocate to educators and government in relation to the profession’s talent pipeline, and current and forecast skill shortages. We focused on the efficient operationalisation of immigration settings used by the profession to source international talent – the Green List Straight to, Residence visa (for auditors), the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa and the Accredited Employer Work Visa.

During the year, we have been part of targeted consultations on these settings and others, conducted by the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment.

Education

CA ANZ continues to engage with government and the education ecosystem in New Zealand about the importance of a robust accounting component in the secondary school curriculum. Access to, and comfort with, accounting content at high school is critical for our talent pipeline and, more broadly, to build the business acumen that the country relies on.

Climate and sustainability

CA ANZ was part of consultations about extending the transitional arrangements and reviewing the reporting thresholds of New Zealand’s climate reporting regime. In Australia and New Zealand, CA ANZ continued to support the development of tools to measure on-farm greenhouse gas emissions and advocate for the role of accountants in supporting farmers to measure their emissions.

CA ANZ also endorsed new global principles for members of the Accounting Bodies Network (ABN) of Accounting for Sustainability, which will position the profession to lead the transition to a sustainable future.

Business reform

CA ANZ responded to consultations relating to statutory review recommendations and the design of an industry levy for New Zealand’s anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism regime.

Additionally, we lodged a written submission on the Consumer and Product Data Bill and made an oral submission to the select committee. CA ANZ also responded to the consultation on New Zealand’s Regulatory Standards Bill.

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FY25 in numbers

 CA ANZ advocacy

• Lodged 204 policy submissions (FY24: 214)

• Attended 450 government and ministerial meetings, and roundtables (FY24: 400)

• Appeared before six parliamentary committees (FY24: 11), including three in New Zealand.

CA ANZ member survey results

• Increased member rating of CA ANZ advocacy influence to 76% (FY24: 70%, +6%)

• Increased member rating of CA ANZ advocacy representing the professional interests of chartered accountants to 79% (FY24: 73%, +6%).

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Take away

Find out more about CA ANZ’s advocacy and access our policy submissions at: caanz.com/advocacy and to view past and present CA ANZ Annual Reports click here: caanz.com/AR25