Volunteer servicesVolunteer services

## Volunteer services BC107 AASB 1004 (December 2007) required local governments, government departments, General Government Sectors (GGSs) and whole of government reporting entities to recognise services received free of charge or for nominal consideration, provided the fair value of those services could be measured reliably, and the services would have been purchased if they had not been donated. The Board decided to carry forward these aspects into AASB 1058 as it was concerned that a wide-ranging review of the recognition requirements for volunteer services could take significant time and potentially delay the completion of this project. BC108 AASB 1004 does not specifically indicate the circumstances in which not-for-profit entities other than those specifically identified can recognise volunteer services. Consequently, not-for-profit entities may elect to recognise volunteer services based on an accounting policy developed in accordance with AASB 108. ED 260 proposed clarifying that not-for-profit entities may elect to recognise volunteer services if the fair value of those services can be measured reliably, without necessarily needing to have been purchased had the services not been donated. In forming the proposal, the Board observed the purchase pre-requisite in AASB 1004 was primarily focused on limiting the scope of volunteer services for which recognition by particular public sector not-for-profit entities is required. The Board considered not-for-profit entities should be able to elect to recognise volunteer services with a fair value that can be measured reliably even if those services would not have been purchased if they had not been donated. BC109 The Board noted that carrying forward the treatment of volunteer services from AASB 1004 almost unchanged retains an inconsistency between private sector and public sector not-for-profit entities regarding the scope of the recognition requirements for volunteer services. The Board acknowledged the inconsistency reflects the transfer of recognition requirements for volunteer services to AASB 1004 upon the withdrawal of Australian Accounting Standards for specific types of public sector entity (namely, AAS 27 Financial Reporting by Local Governments, AAS 29 Financial Reporting by Government Departments and AAS 31 Financial Reporting by Governments) in 2007, rather than a difference in information needs of users of financial statements of not-for-profit entities in the private and public sectors. BC110 Many respondents to ED 260 were of the view that the requirements with respect to the recognition of volunteer services should be the same for all not-for-profit entities. However, many opined that the recognition of volunteer services should be optional, primarily for cost–benefit reasons. Some encouraged the Board to expedite consideration of whether there was differentiation between entities in the sector to justify different accounting requirements. Others suggested that the treatment and location of information about volunteer services be reconsidered by the Board. BC111 The Board considered how to progress its consideration of the accounting for volunteer services, having regard to the feedback received. The Board noted further consideration and due process would be required before it could finalise any broad changes to the current accounting requirements in this regard. Accordingly, the Board decided, as a short-term solution, to finalise the recognition and measurement proposals largely unamended from those exposed. (See also paragraphs BC123–BC124 below.) BC112 The Board expects to consider the accounting requirements for volunteer services as part of a separate future project. … Disclosure …