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COPYRIGHT

© Commonwealth of Australia 2006. The text, graphics and layout of this Auditing Standard are protected by Australian copyright law and the comparable law of other countries. Reproduction within Australia in unaltered form (retaining this notice) is permitted for personal and non-commercial use subject to the inclusion of an acknowledgment of the source. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights for commercial purposes within Australia should be addressed to the Principal Executive, Auditing and Assurance Standards Board, PO Box 204, Collins Street West, Melbourne Victoria 8007. Otherwise, no part of the Auditing Standard may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the AUASB except as permitted by law.

ISSN 1833-4393

CONTENTS

PREFACE

AUTHORITY STATEMENT

Paragraphs

Application.................................. 1-2

Operative Date................................ 3

Introduction.................................. 4-6

Acknowledgement by Management of its Responsibility for the Financial Report 7-8

Representations by Management as Audit Evidence........ 9-16

Documentation of Representations by Management........ 17-18

Basic Elements of a Management Representation Letter..... 19-21

Action if Management Refuses to Provide Representations... 22-23

Conformity with International Standards on Auditing...... 24

Appendix 1: Example of a Management Representation Letter

Preface

Reasons for Issuing Auditing Standard ASA 580 Management Representations

The Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (AUASB) issues Auditing Standard ASA 580 Management Representations due to the requirements of the legislative provisions explained below.

The Corporate Law Economic Reform Program (Audit Reform and Corporate Disclosure) Act 2004 (the CLERP 9 Act) established the AUASB as an independent statutory body under section 227A of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001, as from 1 July 2004. Under section 336 of the Corporations Act 2001, the AUASB may make Auditing Standards for the purposes of the corporations legislation. These Auditing Standards are legislative instruments under the Legislative Instruments Act 2003.