Bill Birkett Memorial Lecture 2026
What are we really accounting for? Rethinking Accounting Through A First Nations Lens
What gets measured gets managed, and powerful change can be brought about through accounting measurement.
Accounting measures, however, have long been founded on traditional notions of value, control and money. But is this unnecessarily constraining the accounting profession’s ability to act as a catalyst for meaningful societal change? Drawing on First Nations perspectives and lived experience, this lecture challenges us to reconsider what we balance, what we value, who we account for, and what accounting could become.
Register now to secure your spot to:
- Explore how First Nations perspectives can challenge and reshape traditional notions of value, measurement and accountability.
- Consider who and what accounting measures, and how expanding what we value could enable accounting to drive meaningful societal change.
- Hear from leading voices as we reflect on the evolving role of accounting and accountants in creating value for society.
- Connect with colleagues and friends from across the accounting profession and community.
This event is held by the UNSW School of Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, in partnership with CPA Australia, to celebrate the legacy of the late Professor Bill Birkett.
Keynote Speaker: Shelley Cable CPA, Head of First Nations Strategy, Australia at ANZ and past CEO of Generation One at the Minderoo Foundation.
Date
Wednesday 4 November 2026
Time
6:00 – 8:00pm
Registration from 5pm, drinks and canapés to follow
Location
12-Micron Barangaroo
| Time | Agenda |
|---|---|
| 5:00pm | Registration and networking with light refreshments |
| 6:00pm | Formal welcome and lecture |
| 7:00pm | Networking drinks and canapés |
Keynote Speaker
Shelley Cable CPA
Head of First Nations Strategy, Australia at ANZ
Shelley Cable is a proud Nyoongar woman from Perth and a passionate advocate for First Nations economic empowerment through business and finance. She is Head of First Nations Strategy, Australia at ANZ, where she leads the development and implementation of ANZ’s approach to advancing economic self-determination.
A qualified accountant (CPA), Shelley has built a career at the intersection of accounting, business and social impact. Prior to joining ANZ, she was CEO of Generation One at Minderoo Foundation, where she led initiatives focused on creating employment parity for First Nations Australians. Her work included the development of the Australian Indigenous Employment Index and programs supporting First Nations entrepreneurship.
Shelley’s expertise and leadership have been recognised nationally and internationally. She was appointed to the Australian Government’s Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce in 2022 and has presented to the United Nations on financial empowerment and the financial rights of Indigenous peoples. She is also a member of Chief Executive Women and an Advisor to the Noongar Charitable Trust.
Through her work, Shelley brings a distinctive perspective to the role of accounting and finance in shaping economic opportunity, self-determination and meaningful societal change.