CPA Australia

An Australian professional accounting organization. CPA Australia differs from the country’s other large accounting organization, the *Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, by having a smaller proportion of its members in public practice and external auditing. Many members of CPA Australia work in the public sector. However, there is much overlap between the two organizations, and a merger between the two has often been discussed. The name CPA Australia was adopted in 2000, but the organization traces itself back through preceding organizations to the nineteenth century. The acronym CPA stands for Certified Practicing Accountant, rather than *Certified Public Accountant. The organization’s membership in 2003 was approximately 100,000, and in recent years it has expanded its membership into a number of Asian countries. Web site: www.cpaaustralia.com.au