Financial Management and Accountability (Financial Statements 2001-2002) Orders
RepealedCTH
This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.
Jurisdiction
Commonwealth
Collection
legislative instrument
Plain English Summary
8/10 complexity
These Orders set mandatory accounting rules for Commonwealth agencies and authorities for 2001–02, requiring accrual-based annual financial statements and standardised formats so all entities report consistently.
They matter because they formalise the departmental vs administered split, link appropriations to outcomes and outputs, set asset valuation/depreciation rules, and require key transparency disclosures (remuneration, auditors, ex-gratia payments).
Zoe can write the in-depth analysis on top of the summary above: how it works, who it affects and what each part actually does.
Current sections
Direct links to the current provisions in Financial Management and Accountability (Financial Statements 2001-2002) Orders.
25
1
Name of Orders \[see Note 1\]
1 Name of Orders [see Note 1]
These Orders are the Financial Management and Accountability (Financial Statements 2001–2002) Orders.
Note Other matters relating to Agencies are dealt with in other Orders made by the Minister under subsection 63 (1) of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.
2
Commencement
2 Commencement
These Orders commence on gazettal.
3
Financial statements for financial year 2001–2002
3 Financial statements for financial year 2001–2002
For subsection 49 (2) of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997, Schedule 1 sets out the requirements for the preparation of annual financial statements for the financial year ending on 30 June 2002.
Note Schedule 1 is identical to Schedule 1 to the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies (Financial Statements 2001–2002) Orders. The purpose of having identical requirements is to achieve uniformity in financial reporting across the Commonwealth public sector which will assist in the preparation of annual financial statements in relation to the Commonwealth by the Finance Minister under section 55 of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997. Accordingly, certain terms, requirements and references contained in Schedule 1 to these Orders apply to Commonwealth Authorities and not to Agencies while other terms, requirements and references apply to Agencies and not to Commonwealth Authorities.
REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDANCE FOR THE PREPARATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF COMMONWEALTH AGENCIES AND AUTHORITIES
Financial years ending on or after 30 June 2002
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
Department of Finance and Administration
I Introduction
This document is issued as a set of accounting and budgeting policies to be applied across the Commonwealth public sector. As such, it is intended that the same policies will apply to all reporting entities covered by section 49 of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 (FMA) and by clause 1, Schedule 1, to the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 (CAC). The guidance set out in this document is to apply for the financial year 2001-02 and for subsequent financial years until it is amended.
The “black letter” (ie. text in bold) sets out the Finance Minister’s Orders under the respective FMA and CAC.
The “grey letter” (ie. text that is not in bold) comprises “explanatory notes and guidance” which does not form part of the formal Schedule but is intended to assist in its interpretation. The “grey letter” also provides, where necessary, additional guidance on the particular requirements of Budget preparation or monthly reporting. This guidance may be modified from time to time by the Department of Finance and Administration (Finance) as the need arises (for example, in response to requests by agencies or authorities for further clarification of particular policies).
This document aims to facilitate the integrated budgeting, management and reporting framework for the Commonwealth. This framework involves:
preparing annual consolidated financial statements on an accrual basis for the whole of the Commonwealth Government (including statements for the General Government, Public Trading Enterprise and Public Finance Enterprise sectors), audited by the Auditor-General (commenced in 1996–97);
presenting the Budget on a full accrual basis;
consistent with the Charter of Budget Honesty Act 1998, extending the coverage of the Budget to include all agencies and authorities in the ‘general government sector’ (that is, those entities predominantly funded from taxation);
funding general government sector entities on a basis that more closely reflects that of private sector businesses, in accordance with the price, quantity and quality of outputs produced by the entity (termed an ‘outputs–outcomes framework’);
appropriating money on an accrual basis without unspent amounts automatically lapsing;
presenting monthly financial information;
accrual accounting systems of agencies and authorities, co-ordinated by a central accrual accounting system (AIMS), including a Cash and Appropriation Management Module (CAMM); and
devolved financial exchange and banking arrangements for agencies.
The policies and guidance in the manual provide a consistent basis for preparing financial reports and budgets by all agencies and authorities. This assists:
users in assessing and comparing financial performance of individual agencies and authorities;
the Government in presenting the Budget on a full accrual basis; and
the Finance Minister in preparing reliable consolidated financial statements.
An important aim of the framework is to provide comparability between ex post and ex ante (budgeted) financial reports. This document will assist in achieving that aim.
The framework for the requirements in this document incorporate:
Australian Accounting Standards and other authoritative pronouncements of the Standard Setting Boards (including guidance releases);
Urgent Issues Group consensus views;
Australian Statements of Accounting Concepts;
financial reporting policy; and
guidance on financial reporting.
This document addresses the legislative requirements for financial reporting, and includes financial reporting policies and guidance.
The financial reporting policies are the mandatory principles, bases or rules adopted in preparing and presenting general-purpose financial reports, including budgets. The policies:
cover issues not dealt with in Australian Accounting Standards or legislation;
specify the preferred alternative(s) when the standards or legislation permit choice; and
clarify any ambiguity in the standards or legislation.
The document mandates Australian Accounting Standards and is concerned with providing relevant and reliable information for users of financial reports and enabling the discharge of accountability by chief executives and directors.
The guidance to the financial reporting policies provide the rationale and concepts underlying the financial reporting policies and are intended to assist in their interpretation and consistent application.
II Preliminary
The policy and guidance included in this section relates to:
1 Commencement
2 Application
3 Certification
4 Exemptions
5 Comparatives
6 Rounding Off
1 Commencement
1.1 The requirements set out in these Orders shall apply for the financial year ending on or after 30 June 2002, unless amended.
2 Application
2.1 The financial statements of agencies and authorities must:
(a) include the primary statements, schedules and notes in the form prescribed in appendix A of this Schedule;
(b) include all note disclosures specified in the policies of this Schedule;
(c) comply with accounting standards and accounting interpretations issued by:
the Australian Accounting Standards Board (established under section 226 of the Australian Securities and Investment Commission Act 1989); and
the former Public Sector Accounting Standards Board, not yet reissued by the present Board;
(d) have regard to the Explanatory Notes to Commonwealth Accounting Policies as issued by the Department of Finance and Administration; and
(e) have regard to Finance Briefs issued by the Department of Finance and Administration.
2.2 The financial statements must be presented in the following order:
(a) primary statements;
(b) schedules of contingencies and commitments;
(c) notes to the financial statements
2.3 Requirements in this Schedule should only be included in the financial statements of the entity if they are relevant or applicable to a reporting period or comparative reporting period.
3 Certification
3.1 There must be attached to the front of the financial statements:
(a) a copy of the auditor’s report on the statements;
(b) a statement by the chief executive or directors, as the case may be, as to whether, in their opinion, the financial statements give a true and fair view of the matters required by this Schedule; and
(c) If the Commonwealth agency or authority is a Public Trading Enterprise or a Statutory Marketing Authority the directors must state whether or not, in their opinion, there are, when the statement is made, reasonable grounds to believe that the agency or authority will be able to pay its debts as and when they fall due.
4
Exemptions
4 Exemptions
4.1 In special circumstances the Minister for Finance and Administration may grant a written exemption to the Chief Executive or directors, as the case may be, from any specified requirements of this schedule.
4.2 An exemption may be granted subject to conditions, including alternative forms of disclosure.
4.3 The Chief Executive or directors must include particulars of any exemption under this clause in the summary of accounting policy given in the notes.
5
Comparatives
5 Comparatives
5.1 Subject to Policy 5.2, paragraph 6 of Australian Accounting Standard 37 (AAS 37) applies to disclosures required by these Orders as if ‘FMO’ were substituted for ‘Standard’ in that paragraph.
5.2 Comparative figures are not required, in accordance with Policy 5.1, for Policies 10, 11 – Table A, 16, 18, 22 and 24.3.
6
Rounding Off
6 Rounding Off
6.1 Amounts in the financial statements may be rounded-off as follows:
(a) where a reporting entity has assets, liabilities, expenses or revenues in excess of $10 million — it may disclose in substitution for an amount required or permitted to be disclosed, that amount rounded off to the nearest $1,000 or, where that amount is $500 or less, to zero;
(b) where a reporting entity has assets, liabilities, expenses or revenues in excess of $1 billion — it may disclose in substitution for an amount required or permitted to be disclosed, that amount rounded off to the nearest $1 million or, where that amount is $500,000 or less, to zero;
(c) provided that:
rounding-off is applied consistently throughout the financial statements; and
the level of rounding-off is clearly indicated where it is applied; but
where an amount, as a result of the rounding off, is reduced to zero in the primary statements, that amount, must be shown to the nearest dollar by way of a note to the financial statements.
(d) Rounding-off is not permitted in notes relating to:
act of grace payments and waivers;
remuneration of auditors; and
remuneration of executives/officers.
III Assets, Liabilities, Equity, Revenues and Expenses
The policies and guidance included in this section are:
7 Restructuring
8 Departmental Capital Appropriations
9 Departmental Price of Outputs Appropriations
Appropriations Disclosures
Reporting of Outcomes and Outputs
12 Receivables
13 Software
14 Land, Buildings, Infrastructure, Plant and Equipment
15 Recoverable Amount
16 Analysis of Property, Plant and Equipment, and Intangibles
17 Administered Investments in Controlled Entities
18 Analysis of Equity
19 Director/Manager Remuneration
20 Act of Grace Payments, Waivers and Defective Administration Scheme
21 Restricted Assets
22 Assets Held in Trust
23 Remuneration of Auditors
24 Sales of Assets by the Office of Asset Sales and Information Technology Outsourcing
7 Restructuring
7.1 This policy applies in relation to the transfer of assets and/or the assumption of liabilities for no consideration (or for token consideration) as a result of a transfer of a function or functions:
(a) between Commonwealth entities; or
(b) between departmental and administered classifications;
consequent to:
(c) a Cabinet decision; or
(d) an Administrative Arrangements Order (AAO) change; or
(e) an Act of Parliament or regulation under an Act; or
(f) a written agreement between the Finance Minister and relevant portfolio Minister.
7.2 The net book values (less any token consideration) of assets and liabilities transferred in accordance with clause 7.1 must be treated as contributions by, or distributions to, owners and recognised as direct adjustments to equity for the transferor and transferee entities, in accordance with UIG 38.
7.3 Paragraphs 10.6 – 10.12 of AAS 29 apply to authorities subject to the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997, as if ‘agency’ were substituted for ‘department’.
7.4 A transfer between two administered entities does not result in any revenues, expenses, assets, liabilities or contributions by owners because administered entities are branches of the same entity (the Government). A transfer of an administered asset or liability should therefore be adjusted to equity (retained surpluses or accumulated deficits) at existing book value.
8
Departmental Capital Appropriations
8 Departmental Capital Appropriations
8.1 Where the amount of a departmental equity injection appropriation is not dependant on specified future events (eg. for initial working capital) it must be recognised as a direct increase in ‘Contributed equity’, when the appropriation becomes effective (generally 1 July).
8.2 Where the amount of a departmental equity injection appropriation is dependant upon specified future events that require future performance (eg. construction of capital works) it must be recognised as a direct increase in ‘Contributed equity’, as the appropriation is drawn down.
8.3 Departmental loan appropriations must be recognised as increases in borrowings, as the appropriation is drawn down.
9
Departmental Price of Outputs Appropriations
9 Departmental Price of Outputs Appropriations
9.1 There is a rebuttable presumption that the full amount of the appropriation for outputs should be recognised as revenue in the year of appropriation. In the instance that any variation between appropriation and revenue ‘earned’ for the respective period arises, providing that the variation is measurable, either accrued or unearned revenue should be recognised.
10
Appropriations Disclosures
10 Appropriations Disclosures
10.1 Agencies and authorities must disclose the following tables in the notes to the financial statements:
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
1 Financial Management and Accountability (Financial Statements 2001-2002) Orders
Financial Management and Accountability (Financial Statements 2001–2002) Orders
as amended
made under subsection 63 (1) of the
Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997
This compilation was prepared on 3 June 2002
taking into account amendments up to Financial Management and Accountability (Financial Statements 2001-2002) Amendment Orders
Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting,
Attorney-General’s Department, Canberra
Contents
Page
1 Name of Orders [see Note 1]
2 Commencement
3 Financial statements for financial year 2001–2002
Schedule 1 Annual financial statements
Notes
1 Name of Orders [see Note 1]
These Orders are the Financial Management and Accountability (Financial Statements 2001–2002) Orders.
Note Other matters relating to Agencies are dealt with in other Orders made by the Minister under subsection 63 (1) of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.
2 Commencement
These Orders commence on gazettal.
3 Financial statements for financial year 2001–2002
For subsection 49 (2) of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997, Schedule 1 sets out the requirements for the preparation of annual financial statements for the financial year ending on 30 June 2002.
Note Schedule 1 is identical to Schedule 1 to the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies (Financial Statements 2001–2002) Orders. The purpose of having identical requirements is to achieve uniformity in financial reporting across the Commonwealth public sector which will assist in the preparation of annual financial statements in relation to the Commonwealth by the Finance Minister under section 55 of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997. Accordingly, certain terms, requirements and references contained in Schedule 1 to these Orders apply to Commonwealth Authorities and not to Agencies while other terms, requirements and references apply to Agencies and not to Commonwealth Authorities.
Schedule 1 Annual financial statements
(section 3)
REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDANCE FOR THE PREPARATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF COMMONWEALTH AGENCIES AND AUTHORITIES
This document is issued as a set of accounting and budgeting policies to be applied across the Commonwealth public sector. As such, it is intended that the same policies will apply to all reporting entities covered by section 49 of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 (FMA) and by clause 1, Schedule 1, to the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 (CAC). The guidance set out in this document is to apply for the financial year 2001-02 and for subsequent financial years until it is amended.
The “black letter” (ie. text in bold) sets out the Finance Minister’s Orders under the respective FMA and CAC.
The “grey letter” (ie. text that is not in bold) comprises “explanatory notes and guidance” which does not form part of the formal Schedule but is intended to assist in its interpretation. The “grey letter” also provides, where necessary, additional guidance on the particular requirements of Budget preparation or monthly reporting. This guidance may be modified from time to time by the Department of Finance and Administration (Finance) as the need arises (for example, in response to requests by agencies or authorities for further clarification of particular policies).
This document aims to facilitate the integrated budgeting, management and reporting framework for the Commonwealth. This framework involves:
preparing annual consolidated financial statements on an accrual basis for the whole of the Commonwealth Government (including statements for the General Government, Public Trading Enterprise and Public Finance Enterprise sectors), audited by the Auditor-General (commenced in 1996–97);
presenting the Budget on a full accrual basis;
consistent with the Charter of Budget Honesty Act 1998, extending the coverage of the Budget to include all agencies and authorities in the ‘general government sector’ (that is, those entities predominantly funded from taxation);
funding general government sector entities on a basis that more closely reflects that of private sector businesses, in accordance with the price, quantity and quality of outputs produced by the entity (termed an ‘outputs–outcomes framework’);
appropriating money on an accrual basis without unspent amounts automatically lapsing;
presenting monthly financial information;
accrual accounting systems of agencies and authorities, co-ordinated by a central accrual accounting system (AIMS), including a Cash and Appropriation Management Module (CAMM); and
devolved financial exchange and banking arrangements for agencies.
The policies and guidance in the manual provide a consistent basis for preparing financial reports and budgets by all agencies and authorities. This assists:
users in assessing and comparing financial performance of individual agencies and authorities;
the Government in presenting the Budget on a full accrual basis; and
the Finance Minister in preparing reliable consolidated financial statements.
An important aim of the framework is to provide comparability between ex post and ex ante (budgeted) financial reports. This document will assist in achieving that aim.
The framework for the requirements in this document incorporate:
Australian Accounting Standards and other authoritative pronouncements of the Standard Setting Boards (including guidance releases);
Urgent Issues Group consensus views;
Australian Statements of Accounting Concepts;
financial reporting policy; and
guidance on financial reporting.
This document addresses the legislative requirements for financial reporting, and includes financial reporting policies and guidance.
The financial reporting policies are the mandatory principles, bases or rules adopted in preparing and presenting general-purpose financial reports, including budgets. The policies:
cover issues not dealt with in Australian Accounting Standards or legislation;
specify the preferred alternative(s) when the standards or legislation permit choice; and
clarify any ambiguity in the standards or legislation.
The document mandates Australian Accounting Standards and is concerned with providing relevant and reliable information for users of financial reports and enabling the discharge of accountability by chief executives and directors.
The guidance to the financial reporting policies provide the rationale and concepts underlying the financial reporting policies and are intended to assist in their interpretation and consistent application.
II Preliminary
The policy and guidance included in this section relates to:
1 Commencement
2 Application
3 Certification
4 Exemptions
5 Comparatives
6 Rounding Off
1 Commencement
Policy
1.1 The requirements set out in these Orders shall apply for the financial year ending on or after 30 June 2002, unless amended.
2 Application
Policy
2.1 The financial statements of agencies and authorities must:
(a) include the primary statements, schedules and notes in the form prescribed in appendix A of this Schedule;
(b) include all note disclosures specified in the policies of this Schedule;
(c) comply with accounting standards and accounting interpretations issued by:
the Australian Accounting Standards Board (established under section 226 of the Australian Securities and Investment Commission Act 1989); and
the former Public Sector Accounting Standards Board, not yet reissued by the present Board;
(d) have regard to the Explanatory Notes to Commonwealth Accounting Policies as issued by the Department of Finance and Administration; and
(e) have regard to Finance Briefs issued by the Department of Finance and Administration.
2.2 The financial statements must be presented in the following order:
(a) primary statements;
(b) schedules of contingencies and commitments;
(c) notes to the financial statements
2.3 Requirements in this Schedule should only be included in the financial statements of the entity if they are relevant or applicable to a reporting period or comparative reporting period.
3 Certification
Policy
3.1 There must be attached to the front of the financial statements:
(a) a copy of the auditor’s report on the statements;
(b) a statement by the chief executive or directors, as the case may be, as to whether, in their opinion, the financial statements give a true and fair view of the matters required by this Schedule; and
(c) If the Commonwealth agency or authority is a Public Trading Enterprise or a Statutory Marketing Authority the directors must state whether or not, in their opinion, there are, when the statement is made, reasonable grounds to believe that the agency or authority will be able to pay its debts as and when they fall due.
4 Exemptions
Policy
4.1 In special circumstances the Minister for Finance and Administration may grant a written exemption to the Chief Executive or directors, as the case may be, from any specified requirements of this schedule.
4.2 An exemption may be granted subject to conditions, including alternative forms of disclosure.
4.3 The Chief Executive or directors must include particulars of any exemption under this clause in the summary of accounting policy given in the notes.
5 Comparatives
Policy
5.1 Subject to Policy 5.2, paragraph 6 of Australian Accounting Standard 37 (AAS 37) applies to disclosures required by these Orders as if ‘FMO’ were substituted for ‘Standard’ in that paragraph.
5.2 Comparative figures are not required, in accordance with Policy 5.1, for Policies 10, 11 – Table A, 16, 18, 22 and 24.3.
6 Rounding Off
Policy
6.1 Amounts in the financial statements may be rounded-off as follows:
(a) where a reporting entity has assets, liabilities, expenses or revenues in excess of $10 million — it may disclose in substitution for an amount required or permitted to be disclosed, that amount rounded off to the nearest $1,000 or, where that amount is $500 or less, to zero;
(b) where a reporting entity has assets, liabilities, expenses or revenues in excess of $1 billion — it may disclose in substitution for an amount required or permitted to be disclosed, that amount rounded off to the nearest $1 million or, where that amount is $500,000 or less, to zero;
(c) provided that:
rounding-off is applied consistently throughout the financial statements; and
the level of rounding-off is clearly indicated where it is applied; but
where an amount, as a result of the rounding off, is reduced to zero in the primary statements, that amount, must be shown to the nearest dollar by way of a note to the financial statements.
(d) Rounding-off is not permitted in notes relating to:
act of grace payments and waivers;
remuneration of auditors; and
remuneration of executives/officers.
III Assets, Liabilities, Equity, Revenues and Expenses
The policies and guidance included in this section are:
7 Restructuring
8 Departmental Capital Appropriations
9 Departmental Price of Outputs Appropriations
Appropriations Disclosures
Reporting of Outcomes and Outputs
12 Receivables
13 Software
14 Land, Buildings, Infrastructure, Plant and Equipment
15 Recoverable Amount
16 Analysis of Property, Plant and Equipment, and Intangibles
17 Administered Investments in Controlled Entities
18 Analysis of Equity
19 Director/Manager Remuneration
20 Act of Grace Payments, Waivers and Defective Administration Scheme
21 Restricted Assets
22 Assets Held in Trust
23 Remuneration of Auditors
24 Sales of Assets by the Office of Asset Sales and Information Technology Outsourcing
7 Restructuring
Policy
7.1 This policy applies in relation to the transfer of assets and/or the assumption of liabilities for no consideration (or for token consideration) as a result of a transfer of a function or functions:
(a) between Commonwealth entities; or
(b) between departmental and administered classifications;
consequent to:
(c) a Cabinet decision; or
(d) an Administrative Arrangements Order (AAO) change; or
(e) an Act of Parliament or regulation under an Act; or
(f) a written agreement between the Finance Minister and relevant portfolio Minister.
7.2 The net book values (less any token consideration) of assets and liabilities transferred in accordance with clause 7.1 must be treated as contributions by, or distributions to, owners and recognised as direct adjustments to equity for the transferor and transferee entities, in accordance with UIG 38.
7.3 Paragraphs 10.6 – 10.12 of AAS 29 apply to authorities subject to the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997, as if ‘agency’ were substituted for ‘department’.
7.4 A transfer between two administered entities does not result in any revenues, expenses, assets, liabilities or contributions by owners because administered entities are branches of the same entity (the Government). A transfer of an administered asset or liability should therefore be adjusted to equity (retained surpluses or accumulated deficits) at existing book value.
8 Departmental Capital Appropriations
Policy
8.1 Where the amount of a departmental equity injection appropriation is not dependant on specified future events (eg. for initial working capital) it must be recognised as a direct increase in ‘Contributed equity’, when the appropriation becomes effective (generally 1 July).
8.2 Where the amount of a departmental equity injection appropriation is dependant upon specified future events that require future performance (eg. construction of capital works) it must be recognised as a direct increase in ‘Contributed equity’, as the appropriation is drawn down.
8.3 Departmental loan appropriations must be recognised as increases in borrowings, as the appropriation is drawn down.
9 Departmental Price of Outputs Appropriations
Policy
9.1 There is a rebuttable presumption that the full amount of the appropriation for outputs should be recognised as revenue in the year of appropriation. In the instance that any variation between appropriation and revenue ‘earned’ for the respective period arises, providing that the variation is measurable, either accrued or unearned revenue should be recognised.
10 Appropriations Disclosures
Policy
10.1 Agencies and authorities must disclose the following tables in the notes to the financial statements: