CBA whistleblower among Order of Australia Honours List

Jeff Morris, who blew the whistle on Commonwealth Bank’s financial planning malpractice in 2008, has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia. 

The CBA whistleblower was named as a recipient of a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), for his service to financial sector accountability and local government. 

After joining Commonwealth Financial Planning, Morris became a whistleblower to the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) in relation to poor practises he observed within the bank’s financial services sector. 

Later in 2013, he blew the whistle again when ASIC mismanaged the information he provided for the case which later led to a Senate Inquiry into ASIC in 2014. 

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This became a catalyst for the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry in 2017, which Morris campaigned for.

The late Colin Bell, who passed away in March 2022, was also awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to the financial services sector. Bell was the founder of Bell Potter Securities, an Australian financial advisory firm.

Sally Herman, the non-executive director and chair of Suncorp Group since 2015, received an OAM for her service to the financial sector and to the community. Herman held board positions throughout the banking and financial services sector for over 20 years.

Merran Kelsall was awarded as an Officer of the Order (AO) for her “distinguished service to the financial accounting sector, to professional organisations, and to the community”. Kelsall was appointed as CPA president and chairman in 2020 after serving as deputy president for three years prior. 

Robyn Pearson-Robertson was awarded an OAM for services to business, she was also the principal of Pearson-Robertson Financial Planning since 2004. 

For her “significant service to the financial sector, to women, and to the community,” Kristin Stubbins was named a Member of the Order (AM). Since 2004, Stubbins had been a managing partner at PwC Australia and became a board member in 2020. Her 18 years of experience in the industry spans across numerous auditor and adviser roles. 

Finally Emeritus Professor Ian Ramsay was appointed an AO for distinguished service to the law, regulatory bodies and law reform. He was a former member of ASIC who had led numerous enforcement taskforces and reviews and was also a former chair of the Treasury’s review into financial system’s external dispute resolution and complaints resolution in 2016-17.