Mayooran Sinnathurai, National Vice President CA ANZ Tinashe Kamangira and Peter Gibson at the CA ANZ Awards. Photos: Ben Calvert.
“Leadership has been described as doing the right things to make an organisation effective over a long period of time…I don’t think we should be shy about recognising the success of public financial management in Australia.”
Peter Gibson FCA was recognised at this year’s Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand (CA ANZ) Awards for his outstanding contribution to the public sector, the award capping a 30 year career in the public service most notable for his role as Assistant Secretary for Governance and Resource Management in the Department of Finance.
Peter is a proud public servant and the judging panel noted his “amazing level of enthusiasm”, commending his contributions to the development of professional standards in the industry and the valuable public sector perspective he provided on the Australian Accounting Standards Board.
The CA ANZ Awards recognise innovation and excellence in their annual presentations, and Peter noted in his acceptance speech that “leadership itself spawns innovation, whether by ‘big bang’ breakthroughs or novel applications of existing processes”.
“In technical terms, [the APS] is really big, which requires money – and lots of it. That and increasing complexity means leadership in accounting and financial management really does matter to government,” Peter said.
The Achievement Award for an accounting professional showing leadership potential and driving initiative and innovation in their workplace went to Mayooran Sinnathurai FCA from the finance division of the ACT Public Service.
He was recognised for his work establishing the ACT Governance Forum and for supporting more than 20 candidates through the ACT Government’s Work Experience Support program, providing opportunities to migrants who face difficulties obtaining employment.
“The ACT Government is committed to fostering personal growth and development and I’m happy to encourage this in my current role,” Mayooran said in his acceptance speech.
“In my experience working for the ACT Government has allowed me to add value on the provision of community services and provided me with moral satisfaction.”
The CA ANZ is a not-for-profit professional organisation that represents chartered accountants across Australia and New Zealand and provides education, experience and mentoring for the profession.
The annual awards recognise the achievements of accounting and finance professionals in the public sector, seeking “difference makers” who make a significant contribution to the public sector as “highly qualified, fully accredited and future focussed individuals”.
Former NSW Rural Fires Services Commissioner and Commissioner for Resilience Shane Fitzsimmons told guests that resilience and adaptability were as important in the finance profession as anywhere else as the community grapples with significantly increased natural disasters and consequent economic challenges.
“You get knocked down, you get back up again. You get bucked off the horse, you dust yourself, you sit right back in the saddle and continue on. It’s about lending a hand, about community, taking stock, looking on the bright side, getting on with things the very best we can, adapting and improving given what we’ve been dealt,” he said.
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