Australian Accounting Standards Board - Standard Application

Standard Application

The original series of Australian Accounting Standards (AASs), which was applicable to entities not regulated under the Corporations Law, was issued by the former AASB and the Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (PSASB) of the Australian Accounting Research Foundation (AARF) on behalf of the professional accounting bodies, prior to 2000. The original series of AASB Standards (AASBs), which was applicable to entities regulated under the Corporations Law, was also issued by the former AASB, prior to 2000. Most AASs were superseded by AASBs for reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2005 – as at 1 July 2011, only AAS 25 Financial Reporting by Superannuation Plans was still operative. All standards now issued by the AASB are labeled AASB Accounting Standards – their application paragraphs specify the types of entities to which they apply.

Under the Australian Corporations Act 2001, many entities are required to apply Australian Accounting Standards when preparing their financial statements. Some public sector entities are required to apply Australian Accounting Standards under either Commonwealth, state or territory legislation, through specific instructions to preparers or reporting frameworks that set out guidelines or regulations.

Members of CPA Australia, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and the Institute of Public Accountants have a professional obligation to take all reasonable steps within their power to ensure that entities with which they are involved comply with Australian Accounting Standards when preparing their general purpose financial statements.