Two new members have been appointed to the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) and an existing member re-appointed for three-year terms.

Minister for Housing and Assistant Treasurer, the Hon Michael Sukkar MP, has appointed new members, Ms Judy Sullivan and Mr Craig Stephens, and re-appointed Mr Peter de Cure to the Board.

Ms Judy Sullivan is Principal Solicitor at Judy Sullivan Consulting Pty Ltd and has previously held positions as Partner (Tax) at PricewaterhouseCoopers and King & Wood Mallesons. She is a member of committees for the Law Council of Australia, the ATO and the Board of Taxation. She holds a Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws (ANU) and a Master of Laws, University of Sydney.

Mr Craig Stephens has extensive tax experience, including most recently as the Managing Partner of BDO in Hobart. He is a registered tax agent and has been working in a business services and taxation role for over 40 years. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Tasmania

Mr Peter de Cure was appointed to the Board in July 2017.

TPB Chair, Mr Ian Klug AM, welcomed the announcement by the Assistant Treasurer. 

‘On behalf of all Board members, I’m delighted to welcome Ms Sullivan and Mr Stephens to the TPB, and we look forward to working with them for the benefit of the public and the tax profession over the next three years.’ 

Mr Klug also congratulated Mr de Cure on his re-appointment to the Board and paid tribute to departing Board members, Ms Julie Berry and Ms Ria Sotiropoulos.

Ms Berry, a tax (financial) adviser, joined the Board in December 2015 and was reappointed in July 2017. 

‘Ms Berry has provided great insight in her understanding of the wider financial adviser landscape during her time with the Board,’ he said. 

‘When tax (financial) advisers were first required to register, Ms Berry was actively involved in implementing a smooth transition into the TPB and as Chair of the Board Conduct Committee she worked tirelessly to ensure the integrity of the tax profession.’

Ms Sotiropoulos, a tax barrister, was appointed to the Board in July 2017.

‘Ms Sotiropoulos has contributed a strong legal perspective and extensive knowledge to the development of TPB policy during her time as a member of the Board,’ Mr Klug said. 

‘She was also an important voice in matters of conduct and compliance and brought a keen legal mind to Board thinking,’ he said.

‘We thank both Ms Berry and Ms Sotiropoulos for their commitment to the purposes of the Board and for their contribution to maintaining the integrity of the tax profession. We wish them well in their future endeavours.’

About the Tax Practitioners Board

The Tax Practitioners Board regulates tax practitioners in order to protect consumers. The TPB aims to assure the community that tax practitioners meet appropriate standards of professional and ethical conduct. Follow us on Twitter @TPB_gov_au, Facebook and LinkedIn