Frequently Asked Questions — UHY Haines Norton ANZ Accounting Network

UHY Haines Norton is a network of nine independent accounting firms operating across Australia and New Zealand. Our member firms provide specialist services in audit and assurance, tax advisory, business advisory, and international accounting to businesses, organisations, and individuals. As part of the UHY International network — one of the world's top 20 accounting networks, spanning over 100 countries — we combine the personalised service of a local firm with global reach and expertise. Clients should note that member firms are independent and neither the UHY ANZ association or UHY International provides services to you.

The UHY Haines Norton network comprises nine independent accounting firms across Australia and New Zealand. Each firm is locally owned and operated, serving their own clients independently, while drawing on the collective expertise, resources, and global connections of the broader UHY Haines Norton ANZ group and UHY International.

Yes. UHY Haines Norton is part of UHY International — one of the world's top 20 accounting and advisory networks, operating in over 100 countries with more than 9,500 professional staff. This gives clients of UHY Haines Norton member firms access to specialist expertise in virtually any jurisdiction, making us a genuinely international accounting firm for Australian and New Zealand businesses with cross-border needs. Clients should note that member firms are independent and neither the UHY ANZ association or UHY International provides services to you.

UHY Haines Norton has member firms across Australia and New Zealand, including Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne (UHY Cohen Fasciani), Adelaide (UHY Haines Norton Adelaide and UHY Sothertons Adelaide), Busselton (UHY Haines Norton PRT), Gladstone (UHY Haines Norton CQ), and Auckland. The ANZ executive office is located at Level 9, 1 York Street, Sydney NSW 2000. You can reach us at +61 418 276 424 or executiveoffice@uhyanz.com.au. Visit our Locations page to find the member firm nearest to you.

Use the Find a Firm page on uhyanz.com.au to locate the UHY Haines Norton member firm nearest to you. For network-level enquiries, you can contact the ANZ executive office directly at +61 418 276 424 or executiveoffice@uhyanz.com.au, Level 9, 1 York Street, Sydney NSW 2000. Each member firm is independently owned and provides the full range of accounting, audit, tax, and advisory services to their local clients.

The UHY Haines Norton association was established in 1984. Our oldest member firm goes back to 1915, making it one of the oldest and most established accounting firm networks in Australia and New Zealand. With over a century of experience, our member firms have deep roots in their local communities while connecting clients to the latest global expertise through the UHY International network.

UHY Haines Norton member firms provide a comprehensive range of audit and assurance services across Australia and New Zealand — including external audits for listed companies, large private groups, subsidiaries of multinational companies, not-for-profit organisations, and government entities. Our network also provides regulatory and compliance audits, internal audit, agreed-upon procedures, SOC 1 & SOC 2 audits, and sustainability and ESG assurance. As an established audit firm across Australia, we combine technical excellence with local knowledge.

UHY Haines Norton member firms go beyond regulatory compliance to provide specialist financial reporting advisory — helping organisations build transparent, resilient financial reporting frameworks that build stakeholder confidence. Our audit and assurance teams combine deep technical knowledge of Australian and New Zealand reporting standards with commercial insight, ensuring your financial statements tell a clear and credible story.

Yes. UHY Haines Norton member firms have extensive experience auditing not-for-profit organisations, charities, associations, and community groups across Australia and New Zealand. We understand the specific reporting requirements under the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) in Australia and the Charities Services regulator in New Zealand, and provide tailored audit services to help NFPs meet their compliance obligations.

ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) assurance is an independent verification of your organisation's sustainability reporting. As regulatory expectations around sustainability disclosure grow in Australia and New Zealand — including under ASIC's climate-related disclosure regime — ESG assurance is becoming essential for businesses of all sizes. UHY Haines Norton member firms provide sustainability and ESG assurance services to help you build credibility with investors, stakeholders, and regulators.

Agreed-upon procedures (AUPs) are a targeted assurance engagement where auditors perform specific, agreed steps and report factual findings — without expressing an overall audit opinion. They are commonly used for grant expenditure verification, specific compliance requirements, or targeted due diligence. UHY Haines Norton member firms across Australia and New Zealand can design and deliver AUP engagements tailored to your exact needs.

Whether you require an external audit depends on your organisation's size, structure, and regulatory obligations. Listed companies, large private groups, not-for-profit organisations, subsidiaries of multinational groups, and government entities often have mandatory audit requirements under Australian and New Zealand legislation. Even where it is not compulsory, an independent audit can strengthen stakeholder confidence and support governance. Contact your nearest UHY Haines Norton member firm for advice.

UHY Haines Norton member firms provide a broad range of business advisory services across Australia and New Zealand — including business advisory and coaching, corporate finance advisory, virtual CFO, digital advisory, international advisory, succession planning, and family office services. Our advisory teams combine broad experience with deep specialist knowledge to provide practical, partner-led advice that helps businesses grow, manage risk, and achieve outstanding outcomes.

Succession planning is one of the most important — and often most overlooked — decisions a business owner will make. UHY Haines Norton member firms across Australia and New Zealand provide specialist succession planning advice covering business valuation, ownership transition, management handover, estate planning, capital gains tax implications, and tax-effective structuring. Whether you are transitioning to the next generation, selling to management, or preparing for an external sale, our network has the depth to guide you through every step.

UHY Haines Norton member firms provide family office services designed for high-net-worth families and business owners who need integrated advice across their personal, business, and investment affairs. We coordinate tax planning, superannuation, estate planning, cashflow management, and wealth management — giving families a single trusted point of contact for all their financial needs. Our family office capability spans multiple member firms across Australia and New Zealand.

Yes. UHY Haines Norton member firms provide specialist international tax advice for Australian and New Zealand businesses with cross-border operations — including international tax structuring, transfer pricing, doing business overseas, and foreign inbound advisory for overseas companies establishing operations in Australia or New Zealand. As part of the UHY International network spanning over 100 countries, we can connect you with experienced advisers in virtually any jurisdiction. In addition, through our UHY International network, we have access to tax advisers in approximately 100 countries.

UHY Haines Norton member firms provide corporate finance advisory services including mergers and acquisitions, business sales, capital raising, due diligence, business valuations, and transaction advisory. Whether you are buying or selling a business, raising capital, or planning a strategic transaction, our network has experienced corporate finance advisers across Australia and New Zealand to guide you through every stage of the process.

A Virtual CFO (Chief Financial Officer) provides senior financial leadership on a flexible, outsourced basis — giving your business access to strategic financial oversight without the cost of a full-time hire. UHY Haines Norton member firms offer Virtual CFO services including cashflow management, financial reporting, strategic planning, and finance function review — ideal for growing Australian businesses that need experienced financial guidance at the right price point.

UHY Haines Norton member firms provide a comprehensive range of accounting services tailored to the needs of growing businesses across Australia and New Zealand — from financial statement preparation, accounting review, BAS lodgement, and tax compliance through to cloud accounting, entity formation, cashflow management, and Virtual CFO services. We go beyond compliance to actively help businesses grow, manage risks, and increase wealth.

UHY Haines Norton member firms have deep expertise in family business accounting across Australia and New Zealand. We understand the unique dynamics of family-owned businesses — including succession planning, ownership structures, estate planning, and the overlap between personal and business finances. Our accounting teams provide the right combination of compliance, advisory, and strategic guidance to help family businesses succeed across generations.

Yes. UHY Haines Norton member firms assist entrepreneurs and business owners with entity formation and effective structuring from day one — whether that's a company, trust, partnership, or sole trader structure. Choosing the right structure has significant implications for tax, liability, and growth. Our teams provide practical advice to help you start your Australian or New Zealand business on the right foundation.

Yes. UHY Haines Norton member firms work with all major cloud accounting platforms including Xero, MYOB, and QuickBooks. We help businesses transition to the cloud, set up efficient workflows, and leverage their accounting software to get real-time visibility of their financials — supporting better decision-making for businesses across Australia and New Zealand.

Yes. Cashflow management is a core part of our business advisory service across the UHY Haines Norton network. Our teams help businesses build realistic budgets and cashflow forecasts, identify pressure points before they become problems, and maintain healthy liquidity — whether you are a growing startup or an established business across Australia or New Zealand.

Tax compliance for an Australian business covers financial statement preparation, income tax returns, BAS lodgements, payroll tax, and other ATO obligations. UHY Haines Norton member firms manage all aspects of your compliance obligations accurately and on time — ensuring you meet your ATO requirements while identifying opportunities to improve your tax position. New Zealand businesses are similarly supported for IRD compliance obligations.