Restructures of local governments (AASB3_08-15_COMPmar20_07-21)

Where assets and liabilities are transferred to a local government from another local government at no cost, or for nominal consideration, pursuant to legislation, ministerial directive or other externally imposed requirement, the transferee local government shall recognise assets and liabilities and any gain or loss.

Assets transferred to a local government from another local government at no cost, or for nominal consideration, by virtue of legislation, ministerial directive or other externally imposed requirement shall be recognised initially either at the amounts at which the assets were recognised by the transferor local government as at the date of the transfer, or at their fair values.

A restructure of local governments involves the transfer of assets and liabilities of a local government to another local government, at no cost or for nominal consideration, by virtue of legislation, ministerial directive or other externally imposed requirement. This gives rise to assets and liabilities and a gain or loss of the transferee local government. A restructure of local governments may take the form of a new local government being constituted and other local governments being abolished as a result of a State government’s policy to effectively amalgamate a number of local governments.

A restructure of local governments involves a change in the resources controlled by the local governments involved in the restructure. The transferor local government will decrease its assets by the carrying amount of the assets transferred. The transferred assets will usually be recognised by the transferee at their carrying amounts in the books of the transferor at the time of the transfer. Such amounts provide a practical basis for recognising the transfer of assets, particularly when many assets are involved, as is usually the case in a restructure of local governments. However, the recognition of transferred assets at fair value is permitted by this Standard.

The restructures of local governments referred to in paragraphs Aus63.3 and Aus63.4 do not involve transfers between the local government and its ownership group but give rise to a gain or loss that is recognised in the statement of comprehensive income.

Assets and liabilities transferred during the reporting period and recognised in accordance with paragraph Aus63.1 shall be disclosed separately, by class, by way of note or otherwise, and the transferor local government shall be identified.

Any gain or loss recognised in accordance with paragraph Aus63.1 shall be separately disclosed in the statement of comprehensive income.

The disclosures required by paragraph Aus63.6 will assist users to identify the assets and liabilities recognised as a result of a restructure separately from other assets and liabilities and to identify the transferor local government. In addition, the disclosures required by paragraph Aus63.7 will assist users to identify separately the gain or loss which results from a restructure of local governments.

Local governments are not required to apply paragraphs 59 to 63 and the related Appendix B Application Guidance paragraphs of this Standard when disclosing information about restructures of local governments.