Ethics for Accountants Power Pair – 2 one-hour recorded webinars

This Power Pair comprises 2 recently recorded ethics for accountants webinars.

Webinar 1: Ethics in Focus: The Accountant’s Role in Combatting Financial Crime

As the scope of Australia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) regime expands, accountants face not only new regulatory obligations, but also heightened ethical responsibilities. The role of the accountant in identifying, preventing, and responding to financial crime is under renewed scrutiny—and professional judgment, integrity, and public interest obligations are at the heart of it. This session explores the intersection between compliance and ethics, helping accountants understand not just what the law requires, but what ethical conduct demands in complex client scenarios. It will:

• Unpack the core ethical principles underpinning AML/CTF obligations, including the duty to act in the public interest, integrity in client relationships, and professional scepticism
• Review the key reforms to AML and CTF laws and how they apply to accountants, particularly where services trigger AUSTRAC enrolment and compliance duties
• Explore ethically challenging scenarios, including suspected black economy participation, confidentiality dilemmas, and when to escalate concerns
• Consider the ethical implications of providing services that may appear benign (e.g. company formations, registered office use, or ASIC agent roles) but are vulnerable to misuse
• Provide guidance on reconciling AML/CTF reporting obligations with client confidentiality and privacy expectations
• Examine real-world case examples where ethical and legal obligations intersect—and how practitioners can respond with integrity

Webinar 2: Ethics of Dealing with Clients when Relationship Breakdowns and Disputes Occur Between Them

Unfortunately, there will be times within the public practitioner's client base where uncomfortable situations will arise due to relationship breakdowns and disputes occur between clients. Those situations require careful thought by the practitioner on how to manage their involvement for both parties. This session explores the issues, including:

• Red flags that identify that conflict of interest issues need addressing
• Drawing the line in practice between continuing to act for one or both clients and removing yourself entirely
• How to manage the client relationship for a domestic relationship breakdown when both partners have roles in their:
  • company or trust business structure
  • SMSF
• How to manage the client relationship when two non-related business partner clients are in dispute and their structure includes:
  • a trading company and
  • their own respective family trusts as equal shareholders
• Potential consequences if a conflict of interest isn't addressed by the public accountant
• Examples of relationship breakdowns and disputes where you may be able to continue to act for all individuals and related entities?
• Dealing with confidentiality issues occurring with individual clients and their related entities involved in a relationship breakdown or dispute
• Tips for documentation to be maintained when addressing the issues