Speakers

Heydon of Orange Chambers has worked mainly as a tax consultant or a barrister. Since being called to the bar in 2009 Heydon has acted for the ATO and for taxpayers in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal or the Federal Court. He also presents the GST Law subject at the University of NSW from time to time. His move to Orange presents Heydon with an opportunity to better serve regional areas while maintaining a commitment to traditional city based clients.

Andrew is the Director, Tax Policy and Technical at the Tax Institute, a Senior Fellow at Melbourne University Law School and a member of the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute Advisory Board.  Previously, Andrew was the Second Commissioner, Law Design & Practice, at the Australian Taxation Office from 2013 – 2019. Andrew has 40 years’ experience in taxation, including periods in the ATO, commerce and the tax profession. Andrew was a Director at Greenwoods & Freehills for more than 20 years and managing director of the firm from 2006 to 2011.

Andrew was President of The Tax Institute in 2006–2007 and is a former Governor of the Taxation Research Foundation. In practice, Andrew was an active participant and representative of a number of industry bodies and a lecturer in the taxation in the Masters program at Sydney Law School. Andrew holds a Bachelor of Business, a Master of Laws and a Graduate Diploma in Tax Law. Andrew is a Chartered Taxation Adviser (Life), a member of the Australian Executive Committee of the International Fiscal Association and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Robyn is the Senior Advocate of The Tax Institute.  Her most recent role was as a Senior Tax Trainer with TaxBanter Pty Ltd, and she is well known in tax training circles, having been a professional tax trainer for 23 years and a regular conference and webinar presenter. With nearly three decades in the profession, Robyn’s public practice background preceded her training roles with Webb Martin and her own business, Cyntax, before its merger with TaxBanter in 2011. Robyn is a Fellow of both CA ANZ and CPA Australia, and a Registered Tax Agent. Based in Melbourne, she supports The Tax Institute’s Professional Development committees, is a member of the Victorian Tax Forum, Private Business Tax Retreat and Noosa Tax Intensive organising committees, and is the immediate past Chair of CPA Australia’s Victorian Public Practice Committee.

Robyn regularly consults with The Treasury, the ATO and the professional bodies on technical issues including as a member of the ATO’s Tax Practitioner Stewardship Group. Robyn is an avid advocate, social media commentator, columnist, blogger, was the inaugural host of TaxBanter’s popular Tax Yak podcast from 2018 to 2020 and is regularly quoted in the media. Robyn was recognised in the Women In Finance Awards 2019 as the Winner of Thought Leader of the Year and was named in the global Top 50 Women in Accounting 2019. She was recently recognised in the Australian Accounting Awards 2020 as the Winner of both Thought Leader of the Year and the Accountants Daily Excellence Award.

Bob is Senior Tax Counsel at The Tax Institute. Bob was until very recently the Deputy President of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), and for over 20 years was a Professor in Taxation Law with the University of New South Wales. Bob specialises in taxation matters, with a special emphasis on international tax. His time with the AAT required extensive involvement in corporate law, social security and immigration matters. He also has experience as a solicitor with a major national law firm, as an independent barrister and as a director with a major accounting firm. He has written widely in his fields of specialisation as well as in the area of financial statements, and is an ongoing contributor to the highly successful Thomson Reuters Australian Tax Handbook.

Andrew is a partner in the Sydney law firm Brown Wright Stein Lawyers. His clients are accountants and lawyers in public practice that require advice on tax issues impacting on their clients. Andrew specialises in tax issues common to the SME and high wealth individual sectors.

David is a commercial Silk at the Queensland Bar practising principally in tax. He has a broader practice in commercial litigation, trusts and estates, and administrative law. He contributes to the life of the profession through his committee work for The Tax Institute and other professional bodies. He is a Chartered Tax Adviser and a registered Trust and Estates Practitioner. He received The Tax Institute’s Meritorious Service Award in 2013. David serves on the disciplinary panel of an international practitioner association.

Simon has been a barrister at the Victorian Bar since May 2003. Most of Simon’s experience at the Bar pertains to tax matters (state and federal) and matters related to taxation: superannuation, insolvency and bankruptcy and professional indemnity claims (commonly involving tax advice). He also has sound experience in commercial litigation matters in the state courts. Simon was included as a “Leading Tax Barrister” in Doyles Guide in 2017 and 2018.

He acts for taxpayers and for the Australian Taxation Office, led and unled, in disputes ranging from small individual matters to large corporate tax disputes. Simon also has a busy advisory practice. He has published several articles in the Law Institute Journal and Taxation in Australia, and is the author of the tax chapter of de Groot’s Wills, Probate and Administration Practice (Victoria) . Simon is heavily involved with the Tax Institute and is chair of its State Taxes Committee.

Neil is a Professor of Taxation and Head of School from 2006 to 2009. Prior to joining Atax in February 1998, he was Associate Director of the Centre for Applied Economic Research, UNSW and a Senior Lecturer in the School of Economics, Faculty of Commerce and Economics, UNSW. Prior to that he worked at the Institute for Fiscal Studies in London.

Neil’s training is as an economist and his research interests lie in the area of public sector economics with a special focus on taxation policy and distributional issues. His research interests are broad and take in the specific areas of tax and welfare reform issues, tax incidence and fiscal federalism.

Mariana is a Tax Partner with HLB Mann Judd, and has advised a wide range of clients on a wide range of income tax, GST, FBT, international issues, payroll and R&D issues. It is important to her to give back to the profession – she is involved in The Tax Institute’s Professional Development and Women in Tax committees.

Minh is a Tax Partner in KPMG’s Deal Advisory Tax group. She has over 19 years of tax experience at KPMG working with governments and the private sector on large-scale infrastructure M&A, privatisations and PPP projects. She is actively engaged in both ATO and Treasury consultations on tax issues relevant to the infrastructure sector. In 2013, Minh was seconded to AMP Capital and in 2014 seconded to KPMG London to work with various government representatives and the OECD in relation to the BEPS project.

In 2015, Minh won The Tax Institute, Corporate Tax Adviser of the Year award and was a finalist in 2018 for the Women in Finance Accountant of the Year award. She is the Deputy Chair of IPA’s Tax Working Group and a board member on KPMG’s Global Infrastructure Strategy Board.

Steve is a Tax Partner at PwC, specialising in M&A in the infrastructure, PPP and energy sectors. Steve is a member of the IPA Tax Committee. Steve was previously an Executive Director with Macquarie Capital, specialising in project finance and infrastructure.

Paul is Tax Advisory Partner at Mutual Trust, Australia’s leading multi-family office. He has worked for the ATO, a large law firm, has been a partner in medium and Big 4 chartered accounting firms and has over 30 years’ experience in tax, asset protection, estate and succession planning. Paul’s niches include litigation support, property development and FBT and salary packaging. Paul specialises in advising high wealth families and closely held businesses, as well as providing support for a number of accounting and law firms.

Paul maintains a practicing certificate as a legal practitioner in Victoria, is a fellow of both CPA Australia and Chartered Accountants Australian and New Zealand, is senior fellow and teaches in the Masters program in the Law School at the University of Melbourne and is a chartered tax adviser. He sits on The Tax Institute’s FBT and Employment Taxes Committee and  contributes to The Tax Institute’s book, Estate and Business Succession Planning. Perhaps Paul is best known as a regular presenter at local, State and National Tax Institute conferences.

Paul has over 25 years’ experience assisting public and private sector employers to reduce costs and develop risk strategies in relation to their remuneration related tax obligations. He advises a large range of Australian and foreign companies on domestic and international employment related tax issues including remuneration packaging, employment taxes and charges (FBT, payroll tax, workers compensation and superannuation), identification and assessment of contractor issues and the structuring and implementation of equity and other employee incentive plans.

Marg is a Partner at WLF Accounting & Advisory in Hobart. She has over 25 years experience in tax advisory at a technical level. Marg advises clients of all types from individuals to large, listed entities, specialising particularly in transaction and structuring advice, capital gains tax, not-for-profit tax concessions and deceased estates. She has been a member of the Tasmanian State Council since 2013.

Marg is on The Tax Institute’s National Council and is also chair of The Tax Summit Program Committee. She is also a member and past Tasmanian regional councillor of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. She regularly participates in tax law consultations and often presents for The Tax Institute.

Miranda is Professor and Director of Tax at Melbourne University Law School and a Fellow at the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute (TTPI), the Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University. Miranda was the inaugural Director of TTPI from 2014 to 2017. Miranda researches, teaches and consults on a wide range of tax law, policy and budget topics in Australia and globally.

Recent publications include the edited book Tax, Social Policy and Gender (2017, ANU Press); ‘Behavioural insights in tax collection’ (2019) eJournal of Tax Research; and ‘Australia’s Company Tax: Options for Fiscally Sustainable Reform’ (Australian Tax Forum, 2018). Miranda is a member of the Permanent Scientific Committee of the International Fiscal Association. She is a co-editor of Austaxpolicy.com blog and a frequent public commentator on tax and budgeting. Miranda was named as one of the Australian Financial Review’s 100 Women of Influence in 2018.

Ann is a Senior Lecturer in the UNSW Business School’s School of Taxation and Business Law (incorporating Atax) and Founding Director of UNSW Tax Clinic. She is author of Taxing Multinationals (Oxford University Press, 2019) and co-author of the Australian CGT Handbook (since the 8th edition, Thomson Reuters, 2017). Ann teaches and researches in the fields of international and Australian tax law and corporate strategy, exploring avenues by which tax policy can be utilised as a mechanism to achieve social justice.

Peter is a consultant to Grant Thornton. He has over 30 years experience in giving professional taxation advice and dealing with change to Australian tax laws. Peter provides advice in many areas of taxation, including business taxation, business and investment structuring, international tax planning, prudential tax audits and tax risk management. Peter is a past State Chair of The Tax Institute’s Queensland Division and is currently President of The Tax Institute.

Leanne is a Director of WGC Business Advisors, a chartered accountancy firm specialising in taxation and strategic advice to SMEs and high net worth individuals. Leanne has over 30 years experience providing accounting, business advisory, strategic superannuation and taxation services. Leanne’s areas of expertise include tax and superannuation planning, business restructuring and understanding the fundamental issues relating to SMSFs, family trusts and private companies. Leanne is a member and past chair of The Tax Institute’s Victorian State Council & PD Committee. She is a regular presenter for The Tax Institute and winner of the 2020 SME Tax Adviser of the Year Award.

Linda is a Partner in the Cooper Grace Ward Lawyers Commercial team. She provides a range of support services to accountants, financial planners and other professional advisers. This includes technical advice on complex tax, CGT and Div 7A issues, as well as acting on business sales and acquisitions to ensure clients achieve commercial and tax-effective outcomes. Prior to joining Cooper Grace Ward, Linda worked as an accountant for 18 years advising clients on capital gains, business acquisitions and restructuring. She also conducted seminars and training sessions on various topics including CGT small business concessions.

Michelle has been the Executive Director of the Corporate Tax Association since January 2015.  Prior to taking on the role as Executive Director she was the Assistant Director of the Corporate Tax Association for over nine years. 

Michelle has extensive experience as an external stakeholder in the development of Australia’s tax policy and law, as well as aspects of tax administration.  Michelle is a member of the National Tax Liaison Group, the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO) peak consultative group on taxation matters; and the Consultative Steering Group, which oversees all of the ATO’s consultative arrangements.  Michelle is also the co-chair of the Large Business Stewardship Group and an executive committee member of the International Fiscal Association.

Prior to her time at the Corporate Tax Association Michelle worked at Minter Ellison in their Melbourne tax team.  Michelle started her career at the Australian Taxation Office, where she worked in the Large Business and International business line and the Tax Counsel Network.

Michelle has a combined Arts Law degree from Monash University.  She also holds a Masters in Taxation Law from the University of New South Wales and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Paul is a Partner in the Corporate Tax group of PwC in Melbourne and has over 30 years experience advising local and international clients on income tax issues.

Jerome is a Partner at King & Wood Mallesons, specialising in taxation disputes and litigation. Jerome advises corporate taxpayers on all aspects of Australian tax disputes from the audit and independent review stage through to High Court litigation. He also guides clients through alternative dispute resolution processes, advance pricing agreements and mutual agreement procedures.

Mark is a tax partner at BDO and a member of The Tax Institute’s Large Business & International Technical Subcommittee and the Queensland State Technical Committee. He is also a member of the expert advisory panel to the Board of Taxation and The Tax Institute’s representative on the ATO’s Private Groups Stewardship Group. Mark has many years of experience in advising taxpayers with respect to all areas of taxation, including CGT, FBT and income tax. He also provides taxation advice to other smaller accounting and legal practices in respect of their clients.

John was admitted as a Solicitor in 2002 and is a Legal Practitioner Director of Deloitte Legal and a partner of Deloitte. He has experience in the areas of taxation, structuring, commercial transactions, disputes, trusts and estates, succession and asset protection planning. John has a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Law. He is Chair of the Tax Institute’s Queensland’s State Council in addition to being a State Councillor.

Ian is the Managing Director of BNR Partners, who have specialised nationally in the taxation of deceased estates since 2000. He is recognised both nationally and internationally on Australian estate taxation matters, being a published author on estate taxation and a frequent presenter at both legal and accounting conferences. Ian regularly consults with professional bodies, regulators and the private sector on estate taxation issues. Ian is a Certified Tax Advisor of The Tax Institute, a fellow of CPA Australia, and a registered practitioner of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. Ian is also member of CPA Australia Taxation Centre of Excellence, and a director of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners Australia Limited.

Phil is a principal of Sladen Legal and heads its Superannuation team. He is member of a number of superannuation-related committees. This includes being the chair of The Tax Institute’s Superannuation Committee and the chair of SISFA’s Technical Committee. He is also a member of number of the ATO’s superannuation liaison groups, including the Superannuation Industry Relationship Network (SIRN) and the Superannuation Industry Stewardship Group (SISG).

He is also heavily involved in liaising with Treasury and the ATO in relation to the implementation of new superannuation laws and administrative practices. Phil is listed in the 2020 Best Lawyers for Superannuation Law in Australia. Phil’s areas of practice include superannuation, estate planning and succession, duties and state taxes, trusts, federal tax and business structuring. He is a regular author and presenter. His articles have featured in The Tax Institute’s Taxation in Australia journal and CCH’s Super News. He has presented at seminars and conferences conducted by The Tax Institute, the Television Education Network, Legalwise and various accounting bodies.

Peter Costello served as Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Australia for just under 12 years from March 1996 to December 2007.

He delivered twelve federal budgets including ten surpluses. During this period Australia’s Sovereign Credit Rating was updated twice to its current AAA rating.

In 2006, after Government debt was eliminated in net terms, Mr Costello established the Australian Future Fund. From its original deposit, the Future Fund has grown to hold around $160 billion in assets. Mr Costello has served on the IMF Committee, as a World Bank Governor and Chairman of the Global Group of 20 Finance Ministers & Central Bankers (G-20). After leaving politics in 2009, Mr Costello joined a number of international and domestic boards including the Independent Advisory Board to the World Bank which he Chaired.

Peter is currently Chairman of the Future Fund. He is also Chairman of the Nine Entertainment Corporation.

Mrs Garnon’s background includes Bachelor of Economics (Accounting Major) and Bachelor of Laws from the Australian National University. She is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants in Australia and New Zealand, a Chartered Tax Advisor and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She is also a member of Chief Executive Women.

Other current roles: Chair and Non-Executive Director of Alexium International Group Limited; Non-Executive Director of Australian Rail and Track Corporation, Non-Executive Director of Resolution Life Australia Pty Ltd. Rosheen also holds the following Not for Profit roles: Trustee of the Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust, Non-Executive Director Creative Partnerships Australia; Non-Executive Director of The Smith Family, Member, Finance, Audit and Risk Committee, The University of Sydney and a Non-Executive Director of Women Corporate Directors Australia Limited.

Rosheen’s appointment as chair is for a 3 year period from 26 March 2020.

Chris Richardson has provided tailored economic advice to the corporate sector for many years, assisting in business planning for numerous private and public organisations. His guest speaker appearances vary from conferences for one of Australia’s leading banking institutions to discussions with the Board of Directors for a major construction company.

Chris Richardson can tailor his presentation to suit organizations in all industries, providing invaluable insights.

As a renowned expert, particularly in macroeconomics, Chris heads Access Economics’ Macroeconomic Policy and Forecasting Group and is the author of Business Outlook, widely acknowledged as the leader in its field of macroeconomic forecasting. His expertise includes the Australian and global economies, Federal budget analysis, property, ageing and industry trends.

Chris Richardson writes the Business Review Weekly’s “Eco” column. His comments on trends in the economy and their effect on business regularly appear in daily media coverage. His views are widely quoted – for example, he was named in the only debate between the PM and the Opposition leader in the 2001 Federal election.

Bernard Salt AM is widely regarded as one of Australia’s leading social commentators by business, the media and the broader community.

Bernard heads The Demographics Group which provides specialist advice on demographic, consumer and social trends for business. Prior to that Bernard founded KPMG Demographics. Bernard writes a weekly column for The Australian newspaper that deal with social, generational and demographic matters. He is an adjunct professor at Curtin University Business School and he holds a Master of Arts degree from Monash University.

Bernard Salt is one of the most in-demand speakers on the Australian corporate speaking circuit and has been so for more than a decade. He is perhaps best known to the wider community for his penchant for identifying and tagging new tribes and social behaviours such as the “Seachange Shift”, the “Man Drought”, “PUMCINS” (pronounced “pumkins”) and the “Goats Cheese Curtain’. He was also responsible for popularising smashed avocados globally.

Media & Publishing: Bernard has popularised demographics through his books, columns and media appearances. His body of work is summarised in six popular best-selling books. Bernard appears regularly on radio and television programs and recently hosted a business television program “The Next Five Years” on SkyNews Business Channel 602. He was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2017 Australia Day honours.

Greg Smith began his policy advising career in housing, industry, tax, fiscal and financial system policy in 1978. His past roles included tax policy adviser to the Treasurer (1983-86), head of Treasury Taxation Policy and Financial Institutions divisions, Secretary to the Australian Financial System (“Wallis”) Inquiry (1996-97), head of the Treasury Budget and Revenue Groups (1998-2004) and a member of the Future Tax System (“Henry”) Review (2008-09). He was a member and then Chairman of the Commonwealth Grants Commission (2006-2020) and is a member of the CEDA Council on Economic Policy.

Danielle is the CEO of the Grattan Institute. She believes in the power of public policy to make Australia a better place. Danielle has published extensively on economic reform priorities, budget policy, tax reform, generational inequality and reforming political institutions. She is a sought-after media commentator and speaker on policy issues.

Previously, Danielle worked at the ACCC, NERA Economic Consulting and the Productivity Commission. She holds an Honours degree in Economics from the University of Adelaide and Masters degrees in Economics and Competition Law, from the University of Melbourne.

In addition to her role as National President of the Economic Society of Australia, Danielle is co-founder and former Chair of the Women in Economics Network.