Generally speaking when we say accountant, they are the ones handling the financial business of a company. They are the one working with numbers. An accountant is a person practicing accountancy wherein one's job is to keep, audit, as well as inspect the financial records of a company or an individual. It is mandatory that these accountants follow a certain set of rules and regulations like the "Generally Accepted Accounting Principles". However in Australia, there is a different name for certain accountants and this is called the "Chartered Accountant" which means that they are either a member of the Institute of chartered Accountants of Australia or other organizations.
To become an Australian Accountants you must enroll a four year course and graduate a degree in an accredited Australian School. Then you must enroll again and pass a tertiary course. This course can be available in about 50 Australian campuses. It is helpful for those to join in accountant organizations to learn and acquire experience in the field. Lastly, before becoming a full pledge accountant, they must take the exams that are usually held twice a year.
There are three large accounting organizations in Australia that manages many accountants: one example of this is Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia (ICAA) located in Sydney NSW. They hold more than 55,000 members including the 46,000 chartered accountants and Australian graduates who commence world-class programs of this organization.
The other is CPA Australia (Certified Practising Accountant). This organization holds an astounding 129,000 members in Australia as well as Australians working overseas. Started in the 1800's, this organization was merged by many societies which combined their knowledge and experiences thus making it to today's CPA Australia.
And lastly, the 3rd accounting body in Australia is the National Institute of Accountants (NIA). They first started 1923 in Melbourne, and in 2004 was a member of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). Now they represent more than 22,000 members that are dedicated to professionalism, integrity, and professional development.
Under these bodies, you can then find and look through accounting firms that hire accountants to serve you. You can research firms such as the KPMG. With over 4,800 members, they provide good results in terms of tax, audit, and advisory services. They can be found in all capitals of each state which is convenient for the clients.
Another top accounting firm found in Australia is the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). With 140 years of experience in the field of tax, audit, and advisory services they have been one of the strongest and largest accounting firms in Australia and have the proof to support it. They have recently received the honor for Best Large Accounting Firm and Market Leader in the 2008 BRW Client Choice Awards. They have 6,000 members in the 8 cities all round Australia.
The easiest way to find an Australian Accountants is by searching through three main accounting bodies of Australia. Then in the body, you can choose top rating accounting firms that service high-quality and world class services which gives you a reasonable price. And in no time you accounting problems won't be a hassle anymore.