10.00AM

REGISTRATION:

Arrival tea and coffee

Ground Floor Foyer

10.30AM –10.40AM

WELCOME ADDRESS:

CTA Vice President – Jerome Wood, Commonwealth Bank

Ground Floor Ballroom 1

10.40AM –11.45AM

SESSION ONE: Getting Real on Tax Policy and Tax Reform – Time to Stop the Sugar Hits

Recent US tax disruption and Australia’s budgetary position underpin that Australia can’t continue to tinker with tax changes but needs real tax and spending reform.  How should tax advocates proceed from here to ensure the strongest foundations for a better tax system for all Australians?  This panel will explore options for developing medium and long-term tax reform.

Melinda Cilento – CEO, CEDA
Stephen Walters – Chief Economist, Business Council of Australia
Aruna Sathanapally – CEO, Grattan Institute
Chair: Michelle de Niese – CTA

11.50AM –12.55PM

SESSION TWO: Justified Trust 3.0 – The Challenge in Reshaping Assurance and Compliance

With the recent Federal Budget extending and expanding the Tax Avoidance Taskforce, senior ATO executives will discuss their vision of the next stages in the Justified Trust program to 2029.

Rebecca Saint – Deputy Commissioner Public Groups, ATO
Fiona Knight – Deputy Commissioner Public Groups, ATO
Chair: Paul Suppree – CTA

1.00PM – 2.30PM

LUNCH

Level 2
Gallery 1/2/3

2.35PM – 3.40PM

SESSION THREE: Leading and Leaving the Tax Function

A panel of Heads of Tax with extended roles discuss how their personal journey as a tax professional into a wider business role has been influenced by promoting the value of the tax function to the broader organisation.

Kate Boyd – Suncorp
Janelle O’Hare – Santos
Chair: Kamlesh Dave – AGL

Ground Floor Ballroom 1

3.45PM – 4.50PM

SESSION FOUR: Heads of Tax Panel and Next Actions for the CTA

A panel of Heads of Tax will provide their assessment and lead a discussion with attendees on today’s discussions and consider actions for the CTA in 2026 and beyond.

Stephen Southon – National Australia Bank
Adele Raj-Manning – Endeavour Group
Michelle de Niese – CTA
Chair: Brett Andersen – Balmoral

4.50PM – 5.00PM

CLOSING COMMENTS

CTA Committee Member – Darren Day, Woolworths

5.00PM – 6.00PM

DRINKS AND CANAPES – Sponsored by PwC

Ground Floor Grain Bar