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25/05/2007 Accounting Association or Bookkeeper Association?   INFORMATION SHEET – part 2 Response to decision by ICAA & CPA to become involved.    Are bookkeepers best represented and assisted by Accounting Associations? or by a true Association of Bookkeepers for Bookkeepers?    COMMENT: ICB respect the 5 year NIA initiative in embarking on an undertaking into the realm of the non-accountants.  The formation of the AAT based on a licence from the AAT UK, NIA seemed to have been working on creating the level of an “Accounting Technician” in Australia.   An “Accounting Technician” in the UK is a term more commonly attached to the person who works in the back office of the accounting firms.  In Australia the closest type of role we have had is that of the bookkeeper, and if the proposed legislation proceeds it would now appear to attach itself to the new BAS Service Provider.  However the Accounting Technician is still not a role that really exists in Australia.   OPINION: The accounting industry is different to the bookkeeping industry.  The stereotypical bookkeeper is not described the same way nor does the same work as the stereotypical accountant.   Accountants and bookkeepers need to work together better but that doesn’t mean Accountants being in control of bookkeepers, nor are they in the best position with the best perspective to assist bookkeepers.   QUESTION: AAT:  a bookkeepers association or an accountants association? The revised constitution of AAT creates an 8 person Board of Directors (the controllers).  6 of those Directors must be appointed by Accounting Associations (2 from each of ICAA, CPA, & NIA).  Only 2 are appointed by voting members of the AAT.  This appears to be the only power a Voting Member has!     We, the ICB do not believe that bookkeepers are best represented by accounting associations.   ICB:  a bookkeepers association or an accountants association? ICB has been formed through the sponsorship of ICB Global, a worldwide group of Associations of Bookkeepers.  150,000 bookkeepers worldwide.   The Australian Board of Directors is made up by people with long-term involvement in bookkeeping:  3 Directors of ICB Global, Mr John Birse (Chairman of Franchise Bookkeepers Association of Australia, Divisional Franchisor for Jim’s Bookkeeping) and Matthew Addison (10 years of: Bookkeeper & Software Consulting; Bookkeeper, business and consultants training and education; Founding member of MYOB Certified Consultants; founding partner of Addisons Accountants)   ICB Australia is directed by its Australian Advisory Board:  Matthew Addison, John Birse, Rick Freitag (Bookkeeper), Helen Harrison (ICB Administrator).   ICB an association of Bookkeepers controlled and directed by Bookkeepers, with the perspective of improving the Bookkeeping Industry for the betterment of the bookkeeper.   ICB is about the professionalism of the bookkeeper