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At first glance, tax compliance and growing lychees may seem like two completely different areas, but Cris Kajewski’s vigilance in providing the latest tax advice to clients spills over into her ‘other life’, farming lychees.
“From netting the trees, to lighting the farm at night, to using noise deterrents, we have to remain vigilant,” Cris said.
“If we don’t, we can lose an entire year’s harvest to ravenous birds and flying foxes.”
This vigilance has served Cris well during her 21 years at Ulton. She joined the firm after working at smaller financial services and accountancy practices in the Bundaberg region.
“I came to Ulton in the early days of the (Federal Government’s implementation of the) Goods and Services Tax, and I liked the support that a larger firm could provide,” she said.
“Knowing I had support across wealth management, business development and tax advisory, meant I could really concentrate on my work and provide quality advice to clients.
“And it is a matter of being vigilant, of staying up to date with the latest legislation, compliance and regulation, of knowing if clients should be referred to tax advisory, wealth management or bookkeeping services.”
Cris said it was equally important to have a sound knowledge of clients.
“Developing a rapport with clients on a personal level is really important,” she said.
“Extracting data from them is how we find out what they need and when. We can only advise them if we know what’s happening in their business.
“Client liaison, building trust and finding rapport is the ultimate challenge in this role. It is as important as understanding the legislation and knowing how to apply it.”
Working as the Manager of the Tax Compliance Team for Business Services in Bundaberg, Cris manages a team of five and also mentors the firm’s bookkeeping team. She is their voice at partner meetings and this added responsibility has led to her open-door policy.
And when not working, Cris can be found on her lychee farm, working alongside her family and a 30-strong team of seasonal pickers, remaining vigilant, seeking out the best fruit for kitchen tables from Brisbane to Melbourne.
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