Keynote Speakers
The Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP
Assistant Minister for Charities, Treasury and Competition
Assistant Minister for Employment
Andrew Leigh is the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities, Treasury and Employment, and Federal Member for Fenner in the ACT. Prior to being elected in 2010, Andrew was a professor of economics at the Australian National University. He holds a PhD in Public Policy from Harvard, having graduated from the University of Sydney with first class honours in Arts and Law. Andrew is a past recipient of the Economic Society of Australia's Young Economist Award and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences.
His books include Disconnected (2010), Battlers and Billionaires: The Story of Inequality in Australia (2013), The Economics of Just About Everything (2014), The Luck of Politics (2015), Choosing Openness: Why Global Engagement is Best for Australia (2017), Randomistas: How Radical Researchers Changed Our World (2018), Innovation + Equality: How to Create a Future That Is More Star Trek Than Terminator (with Joshua Gans) (2019), Reconnected: A Community Builder's Handbook (with Nick Terrell) (2020), What's the Worst That Could Happen? Existential Risk and Extreme Politics (2021), Fair Game: Lessons From Sport for a Fairer Society and a Stronger Economy (2022) and The Shortest History of Economics (2024).
Andrew is a keen Ironman triathlete and marathon runner, and hosts a podcast called The Good Life: Andrew Leigh in Conversation, about living a happier, healthier and more ethical life. Andrew is the father of three sons - Sebastian, Theodore and Zachary, and lives with his wife Gweneth in Canberra. He has been a member of the Australian Labor Party since 1991.
Ruth Owen
Inspector-General of Taxation
Taxation Ombudsman
Ruth has recently been appointed to the role of Inspector-General of Taxation and Taxation Ombudsman. This is an independent statutory role contributing to the improvement of the administration of taxation and superannuation, and supporting taxpayers and tax practitioners with resolution of their complaints to the ATO or Tax Practitioners’ Board.
Ruth brings a wealth of experience in tax, public sector reform, complaints management and dispute resolution, having spent more than 30 years in various senior leadership positions across the public sector in Australia and the United Kingdom (UK).
Ruth was previously a Director General and Tax Commissioner of His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs in the UK, Head of Profession for operational delivery in the UK Civil Service and Deputy CEO of Jobcentre Plus, the UK employment service and welfare service delivery agency.
In moving to Australia, Ruth joined EY Advisory as the lead partner in Human Services, providing professional services to Government and community sector clients, including publishing guidance on complaints management and supporting the National Redress Scheme for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse.
Ruth spent over three years in NSW Government, as a Deputy Secretary at Education and then leading the delivery of public sector reform in the NSW Premier’s Department.
Ruth was awarded the CBE in the UK for her public service in reducing unemployment during the GFC.
Rob Heferen
Commissioner of Taxation
Australian Taxation Office
Rob Heferen commenced as Commissioner of Taxation on 1 March 2024. Rob has over 35 years’ of diverse experience in the Australian Public Service. His career spans across policy development and program delivery in varied portfolios, and he has represented Australia in international forums including the United Nations, the International Energy Agency and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Rob is regarded as one of the nation’s most experienced tax experts, and for almost two decades his interest and expertise in economics and tax policy has led to senior executive roles at the Australian Taxation Office and Commonwealth Treasury.
Rob holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) and Bachelor of Laws from the University of Tasmania, and a Graduate Diploma of Economics from the Australian National University.
Andrew Mills
Member of the Board of Taxation
Andrew is currently chair of the Financial Reporting Council (Australia) and a member of the Board of Taxation, the External Reporting Board (NZ) and is a Principal Fellow/Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne. He is also Chair of the Independent Planning Commission, Cemeteries & Crematoria NSW and the Queensland Revenue Office Public Rulings Advisory Panel and is a member of the ANU’s Tax and Transfer Institute’s Advisory Board (among others) as well as an member of the Executive Committee of IFA Australia. He has over 40 years’ experience in senior commercial, practice, government and academic roles. Previously, Andrew served as Second Commissioner of Taxation at the Australian Taxation Office, in an Executive capacity at The Tax Institute and was in practice in an accounting and law firm for over twenty years. He is a former President of Tax Institute and Tax Advisor of the Year. Andrew has published many papers and articles over the years in both domestic and international journals.
For further information about these and other sponsorship opportunities contact Annette Morgan
at annette.morgan@cbs.curtin.edu.au or phone (08) 9266 7106 or 0422 844 439