Structure and content (AASB101_07-15_COMPdec22_01-24)

This Standard requires particular disclosures in the statement of financial position or the statement(s) of profit or loss and other comprehensive income, or in the statement of changes in equity and requires disclosure of other line items either in those statements or in the notes. AASB 107 Statement of Cash Flows sets out requirements for the presentation of cash flow information.

This Standard sometimes uses the term ‘disclosure’ in a broad sense, encompassing items presented in the financial statements. Disclosures are also required by other Australian Accounting Standards. Unless specified to the contrary elsewhere in this Standard or in another Australian Accounting Standard, such disclosures may be made in the financial statements.

An entity shall clearly identify the financial statements and distinguish them from other information in the same published document.

Australian Accounting Standards apply only to financial statements, and not necessarily to other information presented in an annual report, a regulatory filing, or another document. Therefore, it is important that users can distinguish information that is prepared using Australian Accounting Standards from other information that may be useful to users but is not the subject of those requirements.

An entity shall clearly identify each financial statement and the notes. In addition, an entity shall display the following information prominently, and repeat it when necessary for the information presented to be understandable:

(a)            the name of the reporting entity or other means of identification, and any change in that information from the end of the preceding reporting period;

(b)            whether the financial statements are of an individual entity or a group of entities;

(c)            the date of the end of the reporting period or the period covered by the set of financial statements or notes;

(d)            the presentation currency, as defined in AASB 121; and

(e)            the level of rounding used in presenting amounts in the financial statements.

An entity meets the requirements in paragraph 51 by presenting appropriate headings for pages, statements, notes, columns and the like. Judgement is required in determining the best way of presenting such information. For example, when an entity presents the financial statements electronically, separate pages are not always used; an entity then presents the above items to ensure that the information included in the financial statements can be understood.

An entity often makes financial statements more understandable by presenting information in thousands or millions of units of the presentation currency. This is acceptable as long as the entity discloses the level of rounding and does not omit material information.

The statement of financial position shall include line items that present the following amounts:

(a)            property, plant and equipment;

(b)            investment property;

(c)            intangible assets;

(d)            financial assets (excluding amounts shown under (e), (h) and (i));

(e)            investments accounted for using the equity method;

(f)            biological assets within the scope of AASB 141 Agriculture;

(g)            inventories;

(h)            trade and other receivables;

(i)             cash and cash equivalents;

(j)             the total of assets classified as held for sale and assets included in disposal groups classified as held for sale in accordance with AASB 5 Non-current Assets Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations;

(k)            trade and other payables;

(l)             provisions;

(m)           financial liabilities (excluding amounts shown under (k) and (l));

(ma)       portfolios of contracts within the scope of AASB 17 that are liabilities, disaggregated as required by paragraph 78 of AASB 17;

(n)            liabilities and assets for current tax, as defined in AASB 112 Income Taxes;

(o)            deferred tax liabilities and deferred tax assets, as defined in AASB 112;

(p)            liabilities included in disposal groups classified as held for sale in accordance with AASB 5;

(q)            non-controlling interests, presented within equity; and

(r)            issued capital and reserves attributable to owners of the parent.

An entity shall present additional line items (including by disaggregating the line items listed in paragraph 54), headings and subtotals in the statement of financial position when such presentation is relevant to an understanding of the entity’s financial position.

When an entity presents subtotals in accordance with paragraph 55, those subtotals shall:

(a)            be comprised of line items made up of amounts recognised and measured in accordance with Australian Accounting Standards;

(b)            be presented and labelled in a manner that makes the line items that constitute the subtotal clear and understandable;

(c)             be consistent from period to period, in accordance with paragraph 45; and

(d)            not be displayed with more prominence than the subtotals and totals required in Australian Accounting Standards for the statement of financial position.

When an entity presents current and non-current assets, and current and non-current liabilities, as separate classifications in its statement of financial position, it shall not classify deferred tax assets (liabilities) as current assets (liabilities).

This Standard does not prescribe the order or format in which an entity presents items. Paragraph 54 simply lists items that are sufficiently different in nature or function to warrant separate presentation in the statement of financial position. In addition:

(a)            line items are included when the size, nature or function of an item or aggregation of similar items is such that separate presentation is relevant to an understanding of the entity’s financial position; and

(b)            the descriptions used and the ordering of items or aggregation of similar items may be amended according to the nature of the entity and its transactions, to provide information that is relevant to an understanding of the entity’s financial position. For example, a financial institution may amend the above descriptions to provide information that is relevant to the operations of a financial institution.

An entity makes the judgement about whether to present additional items separately on the basis of an assessment of:

(a)            the nature and liquidity of assets;

(b)            the function of assets within the entity; and

(c)             the amounts, nature and timing of liabilities.

The use of different measurement bases for different classes of assets suggests that their nature or function differs and, therefore, that an entity presents them as separate line items. For example, different classes of property, plant and equipment can be carried at cost or at revalued amounts in accordance with AASB 116.

An entity shall present current and non-current assets, and current and non-current liabilities, as separate classifications in its statement of financial position in accordance with paragraphs 66–76B except when a presentation based on liquidity provides information that is reliable and more relevant. When that exception applies, an entity shall present all assets and liabilities in order of liquidity.

Whichever method of presentation is adopted, an entity shall disclose the amount expected to be recovered or settled after more than twelve months for each asset and liability line item that combines amounts expected to be recovered or settled:

(a)            no more than twelve months after the reporting period, and

(b)            more than twelve months after the reporting period.

When an entity supplies goods or services within a clearly identifiable operating cycle, separate classification of current and non-current assets and liabilities in the statement of financial position provides useful information by distinguishing the net assets that are continuously circulating as working capital from those used in the entity’s long-term operations. It also highlights assets that are expected to be realised within the current operating cycle, and liabilities that are due for settlement within the same period.

For some entities, such as financial institutions, a presentation of assets and liabilities in increasing or decreasing order of liquidity provides information that is reliable and more relevant than a current/non-current presentation because the entity does not supply goods or services within a clearly identifiable operating cycle.

In applying paragraph 60, an entity is permitted to present some of its assets and liabilities using a current/non-current classification and others in order of liquidity when this provides information that is reliable and more relevant. The need for a mixed basis of presentation might arise when an entity has diverse operations.

Information about expected dates of realisation of assets and liabilities is useful in assessing the liquidity and solvency of an entity. AASB 7 Financial Instruments: Disclosures requires disclosure of the maturity dates of financial assets and financial liabilities. Financial assets include trade and other receivables, and financial liabilities include trade and other payables. Information on the expected date of recovery of non-monetary assets such as inventories and expected date of settlement for liabilities such as provisions is also useful, whether assets and liabilities are classified as current or as non-current. For example, an entity discloses the amount of inventories that are expected to be recovered more than twelve months after the reporting period.

An entity shall classify an asset as current when:

(a)            it expects to realise the asset, or intends to sell or consume it, in its normal operating cycle;

(b)            it holds the asset primarily for the purpose of trading;

(c)             it expects to realise the asset within twelve months after the reporting period; or

(d)            the asset is cash or a cash equivalent (as defined in AASB 107) unless the asset is restricted from being exchanged or used to settle a liability for at least twelve months after the reporting period.

An entity shall classify all other assets as non-current.

This Standard uses the term ‘non-current’ to include tangible, intangible and financial assets of a long-term nature. It does not prohibit the use of alternative descriptions as long as the meaning is clear.

The operating cycle of an entity is the time between the acquisition of assets for processing and their realisation in cash or cash equivalents. When the entity’s normal operating cycle is not clearly identifiable, it is assumed to be twelve months. Current assets include assets (such as inventories and trade receivables) that are sold, consumed or realised as part of the normal operating cycle even when they are not expected to be realised within twelve months after the reporting period. Current assets also include assets held primarily for the purpose of trading (examples include some financial assets that meet the definition of held for trading in AASB 9) and the current portion of non-current financial assets.

An entity shall classify a liability as current when:

(a)            it expects to settle the liability in its normal operating cycle;

(b)            it holds the liability primarily for the purpose of trading;

(c)             the liability is due to be settled within twelve months after the reporting period; or

(d)            it does not have the right at the end of the reporting period to defer settlement of the liability for at least twelve months after the reporting period.

An entity shall classify all other liabilities as non-current.

Some current liabilities, such as trade payables and some accruals for employee and other operating costs, are part of the working capital used in the entity’s normal operating cycle. An entity classifies such operating items as current liabilities even if they are due to be settled more than twelve months after the reporting period. The same normal operating cycle applies to the classification of an entity’s assets and liabilities. When the entity’s normal operating cycle is not clearly identifiable, it is assumed to be twelve months.

Other current liabilities are not settled as part of the normal operating cycle, but are due for settlement within twelve months after the reporting period or held primarily for the purpose of trading. Examples are some financial liabilities that meet the definition of held for trading in AASB 9, bank overdrafts, and the current portion of non-current financial liabilities, dividends payable, income taxes and other non-trade payables. Financial liabilities that provide financing on a long-term basis (ie are not part of the working capital used in the entity’s normal operating cycle) and are not due for settlement within twelve months after the reporting period are non-current liabilities, subject to paragraphs 72A-75.

An entity classifies its financial liabilities as current when they are due to be settled within twelve months after the reporting period, even if:

(a)            the original term was for a period longer than twelve months, and

(b)            an agreement to refinance, or to reschedule payments, on a long-term basis is completed after the reporting period and before the financial statements are authorised for issue.

An entity’s right to defer settlement of a liability for at least twelve months after the reporting period must have substance and, as illustrated in paragraphs 72B–75, must exist at the end of the reporting period.

An entity’s right to defer settlement of a liability arising from a loan arrangement for at least twelve months after the reporting period may be subject to the entity complying with conditions specified in that loan arrangement (hereafter referred to as ‘covenants’). For the purposes of applying paragraph 69(d), such covenants: 

(a)            affect whether that right exists at the end of the reporting period – as illustrated in paragraphs 74 –⁠75 – if an entity is required to comply with the covenant on or before the end of the reporting period. Such a covenant affects whether the right exists at the end of the reporting period even if compliance with the covenant is assessed only after the reporting period (for example, a covenant based on the entity’s financial position at the end of the reporting period but assessed for compliance only after the reporting period).

(b)           do not affect whether that right exists at the end of the reporting period if an entity is required to comply with the covenant only after the reporting period (for example, a covenant based on the entity’s financial position six months after the end of the reporting period).

If an entity has the right, at the end of the reporting period, to roll over an obligation for at least twelve months after the reporting period under an existing loan facility, it classifies the obligation as non‑current, even if it would otherwise be due within a shorter period. If the entity has no such right, the entity does not consider the potential to refinance the obligation and classifies the obligation as current.

When an entity breaches a covenant of a long-term loan arrangement on or before the end of the reporting period with the effect that the liability becomes payable on demand, it classifies the liability as current, even if the lender agreed, after the reporting period and before the authorisation of the financial statements for issue, not to demand payment as a consequence of the breach. An entity classifies the liability as current because, at the end of the reporting period, it does not have the right to defer its settlement for at least twelve months after that date.

However, an entity classifies the liability as non-current if the lender agreed by the end of the reporting period to provide a period of grace ending at least twelve months after the reporting period, within which the entity can rectify the breach and during which the lender cannot demand immediate repayment.

Classification of a liability is unaffected by the likelihood that the entity will exercise its right to defer settlement of the liability for at least twelve months after the reporting period. If a liability meets the criteria in paragraph 69 for classification as non-current, it is classified as non-current even if management intends or expects the entity to settle the liability within twelve months after the reporting period, or even if the entity settles the liability between the end of the reporting period and the date the financial statements are authorised for issue. However, in either of those circumstances, the entity may need to disclose information about the timing of settlement to enable users of its financial statements to understand the impact of the liability on the entity’s financial position (see paragraphs 17(c) and 76(d)).

If the following events occur between the end of the reporting period and the date the financial statements are authorised for issue, those events are disclosed as non-adjusting events in accordance with AASB 110 Events after the Reporting Period:

(a)            refinancing on a long-term basis of a liability classified as current (see paragraph 72);

(b)            rectification of a breach of a long-term loan arrangement classified as current (see paragraph 74);

(c)             the granting by the lender of a period of grace to rectify a breach of a long-term loan arrangement classified as current (see paragraph 75); and

(d)             settlement of a liability classified as non-current (see paragraph 75A).

In applying paragraphs 69–75, an entity might classify liabilities arising from loan arrangements as non-current when the entity’s right to defer settlement of those liabilities is subject to the entity complying with covenants within twelve months after the reporting period (see paragraph 72B(b)). In such situations, the entity shall disclose information in the notes that enables users of financial statements to understand the risk that the liabilities could become repayable within twelve months after the reporting period, including:

(a)            information about the covenants (including the nature of the covenants and when the entity is required to comply with them) and the carrying amount of related liabilities.

(b)            facts and circumstances, if any, that indicate the entity may have difficulty complying with the covenants – for example, the entity having acted during or after the reporting period to avoid or mitigate a potential breach. Such facts and circumstances could also include the fact that the entity would not have complied with the covenants if they were to be assessed for compliance based on the entity’s circumstances at the end of the reporting period.

For the purpose of classifying a liability as current or non-current, settlement refers to a transfer to the counterparty that results in the extinguishment of the liability. The transfer could be of:

(a)            cash or other economic resources—for example, goods or services; or

(b)            the entity’s own equity instruments, unless paragraph 76B applies.

Terms of a liability that could, at the option of the counterparty, result in its settlement by the transfer of the entity’s own equity instruments do not affect its classification as current or non-current if, applying AASB 132 Financial Instruments: Presentation, the entity classifies the option as an equity instrument, recognising it separately from the liability as an equity component of a compound financial instrument.

An entity shall disclose, either in the statement of financial position or in the notes, further subclassifications of the line items presented, classified in a manner appropriate to the entity’s operations.

The detail provided in subclassifications depends on the requirements of Australian Accounting Standards and on the size, nature and function of the amounts involved. An entity also uses the factors set out in paragraph 58 to decide the basis of subclassification. The disclosures vary for each item, for example:

(a)            items of property, plant and equipment are disaggregated into classes in accordance with AASB 116;

(b)            receivables are disaggregated into amounts receivable from trade customers, receivables from related parties, prepayments and other amounts;

(c)             inventories are disaggregated, in accordance with AASB 102 Inventories, into classifications such as merchandise, production supplies, materials, work in progress and finished goods;

(d)            provisions are disaggregated into provisions for employee benefits and other items; and

(e)             equity capital and reserves are disaggregated into various classes, such as paid-in capital, share premium and reserves.

An entity shall disclose the following, either in the statement of financial position or the statement of changes in equity, or in the notes:

(a)            for each class of share capital:

(i)             the number of shares authorised;

(ii)            the number of shares issued and fully paid, and issued but not fully paid;

(iii)           par value per share, or that the shares have no par value;

(iv)           a reconciliation of the number of shares outstanding at the beginning and at the end of the period;

(v)            the rights, preferences and restrictions attaching to that class including restrictions on the distribution of dividends and the repayment of capital;

(vi)           shares in the entity held by the entity or by its subsidiaries or associates; and

(vii)          shares reserved for issue under options and contracts for the sale of shares, including terms and amounts; and

(b)            a description of the nature and purpose of each reserve within equity.

An entity without share capital, such as a partnership or trust, shall disclose information equivalent to that required by paragraph 79(a), showing changes during the period in each category of equity interest, and the rights, preferences and restrictions attaching to each category of equity interest.

If an entity has reclassified

(a)            a puttable financial instrument classified as an equity instrument, or

(b)            an instrument that imposes on the entity an obligation to deliver to another party a pro rata share of the net assets of the entity only on liquidation and is classified as an equity instrument

between financial liabilities and equity, it shall disclose the amount reclassified into and out of each category (financial liabilities or equity), and the timing and reason for that reclassification.

[Deleted]

The statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income (statement of comprehensive income) shall present, in addition to the profit or loss and other comprehensive income sections:

(a)            profit or loss;

(b)            total other comprehensive income;

(c)             comprehensive income for the period, being the total of profit or loss and other comprehensive income.

If an entity presents a separate statement of profit or loss it does not present the profit or loss section in the statement presenting comprehensive income.

An entity shall present the following items, in addition to the profit or loss and other comprehensive income sections, as allocation of profit or loss and other comprehensive income for the period:

(a)            profit or loss for the period attributable to:

(i)             non-controlling interests, and

(ii)            owners of the parent.

(b)            comprehensive income for the period attributable to:

(i)             non-controlling interests, and

(ii)            owners of the parent.

If an entity presents profit or loss in a separate statement it shall present (a) in that statement.

In addition to items required by other Australian Accounting Standards, the profit or loss section or the statement of profit or loss shall include line items that present the following amounts for the period:

(a)            revenue, presenting separately:

(i)            interest revenue calculated using the effective interest method; and

(ii)           insurance revenue (see AASB 17);

(aa)          gains and losses arising from the derecognition of financial assets measured at amortised cost;

(ab)          insurance service expenses from contracts issued within the scope of AASB 17 (see AASB 17);

(ac)         income or expenses from reinsurance contracts held (see AASB 17);

(b)            finance costs;

(ba)          impairment losses (including reversals of impairment losses or impairment gains) determined in accordance with Section 5.5 of AASB 9;

(bb)        insurance finance income or expenses from contracts issued within the scope of AASB 17 (see AASB 17);

(bc)         finance income or expenses from reinsurance contracts held (see AASB 17);

(c)             share of the profit or loss of associates and joint ventures accounted for using the equity method;

(ca)          if a financial asset is reclassified out of the amortised cost measurement category so that it is measured at fair value through profit or loss, any gain or loss arising from a difference between the previous amortised cost of the financial asset and its fair value at the reclassification date (as defined in AASB 9);

(cb)          if a financial asset is reclassified out of the fair value through other comprehensive income measurement category so that it is measured at fair value through profit or loss, any cumulative gain or loss previously recognised in other comprehensive income that is reclassified to profit or loss;

(d)            tax expense;

(e)            [deleted]

(ea)          a single amount for the total of discontinued operations (see AASB 5).

(f)–(i)       [deleted]

The other comprehensive income section shall present line items for the amounts for the period of:

(a)            items of other comprehensive income (excluding amounts in paragraph (b)), classified by nature and grouped into those that, in accordance with other Australian Accounting Standards:

(i)             will not be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss; and

(ii)            will be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss when specific conditions are met.

(b)            the share of the other comprehensive income of associates and joint ventures accounted for using the equity method, separated into the share of items that, in accordance with other Australian Accounting Standards:

(i)             will not be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss; and

(ii)            will be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss when specific conditions are met.

[Deleted]

An entity shall present additional line items (including by disaggregating the line items listed in paragraph 82), headings and subtotals in the statement(s) presenting profit or loss and other comprehensive income when such presentation is relevant to an understanding of the entity’s financial performance.

When an entity presents subtotals in accordance with paragraph 85, those subtotals shall:

(a)            be comprised of line items made up of amounts recognised and measured in accordance with Australian Accounting Standards;

(b)            be presented and labelled in a manner that makes the line items that constitute the subtotal clear and understandable;

(c)             be consistent from period to period, in accordance with paragraph 45; and

(d)            not be displayed with more prominence than the subtotals and totals required in Australian Accounting Standards for the statement(s) presenting profit or loss and other comprehensive income.

An entity shall present the line items in the statement(s) presenting profit or loss and other comprehensive income that reconcile any subtotals presented in accordance with paragraph 85 with the subtotals or totals required in Australian Accounting Standards for such statement(s).

Because the effects of an entity’s various activities, transactions and other events differ in frequency, potential for gain or loss and predictability, disclosing the components of financial performance assists users in understanding the financial performance achieved and in making projections of future financial performance. An entity includes additional line items in the statement(s) presenting profit or loss and other comprehensive income and it amends the descriptions used and the ordering of items when this is necessary to explain the elements of financial performance. An entity considers factors including materiality and the nature and function of the items of income and expense. For example, a financial institution may amend the descriptions to provide information that is relevant to the operations of a financial institution. An entity does not offset income and expense items unless the criteria in paragraph 32 are met.

An entity shall not present any items of income or expense as extraordinary items, in the statement(s) presenting profit or loss and other comprehensive income or in the notes.

An entity shall recognise all items of income and expense in a period in profit or loss unless an Australian Accounting Standard requires or permits otherwise.

Some Australian Accounting Standards specify circumstances when an entity recognises particular items outside profit or loss in the current period. AASB 108 specifies two such circumstances: the correction of errors and the effect of changes in accounting policies. Other Australian Accounting Standards require or permit components of other comprehensive income that meet the Conceptual Framework’s definition of income or expense to be excluded from profit or loss (see paragraph 7).

Notwithstanding paragraph 89, in respect of AusCF entities, some Australian Accounting Standards specify circumstances when an entity recognises particular items outside profit or loss in the current period. AASB 108 specifies two such circumstances: the correction of errors and the effect of changes in accounting policies. Other Australian Accounting Standards require or permit components of other comprehensive income that meet the Framework’s ^[AusCF4] definition of income or expense to be excluded from profit or loss (see paragraph 7).

An entity shall disclose the amount of income tax relating to each item of other comprehensive income, including reclassification adjustments, either in the statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income or in the notes.

An entity may present items of other comprehensive income either:

(a)            net of related tax effects, or

(b)            before related tax effects with one amount shown for the aggregate amount of income tax relating to those items.

If an entity elects alternative (b), it shall allocate the tax between the items that might be reclassified subsequently to the profit or loss section and those that will not be reclassified subsequently to the profit or loss section.

An entity shall disclose reclassification adjustments relating to components of other comprehensive income.

Other Australian Accounting Standards specify whether and when amounts previously recognised in other comprehensive income are reclassified to profit or loss. Such reclassifications are referred to in this Standard as reclassification adjustments. A reclassification adjustment is included with the related component of other comprehensive income in the period that the adjustment is reclassified to profit or loss. These amounts may have been recognised in other comprehensive income as unrealised gains in the current or previous periods. Those unrealised gains must be deducted from other comprehensive income in the period in which the realised gains are reclassified to profit or loss to avoid including them in total comprehensive income twice.

An entity may present reclassification adjustments in the statement(s) of profit or loss and other comprehensive income or in the notes. An entity presenting reclassification adjustments in the notes presents the items of other comprehensive income after any related reclassification adjustments.

Reclassification adjustments arise, for example, on disposal of a foreign operation (see AASB 121) and when some hedged forecast cash flows affect profit or loss (see paragraph 6.5.11(d) of AASB 9 in relation to cash flow hedges).

Reclassification adjustments do not arise on changes in revaluation surplus recognised in accordance with AASB 116 or AASB 138 or on remeasurements of defined benefit plans recognised in accordance with AASB 119. These components are recognised in other comprehensive income and are not reclassified to profit or loss in subsequent periods. Changes in revaluation surplus may be transferred to retained earnings in subsequent periods as the asset is used or when it is derecognised (see AASB 116 and AASB 138). In accordance with AASB 9, reclassification adjustments do not arise if a cash flow hedge or the accounting for the time value of an option (or the forward element of a forward contract or the foreign currency basis spread of a financial instrument) result in amounts that are removed from the cash flow hedge reserve or a separate component of equity, respectively, and included directly in the initial cost or other carrying amount of an asset or a liability. These amounts are directly transferred to assets or liabilities.

When items of income or expense are material, an entity shall disclose their nature and amount separately.

Circumstances that would give rise to the separate disclosure of items of income and expense include:

(a)            write-downs of inventories to net realisable value or of property, plant and equipment to recoverable amount, as well as reversals of such write-downs;

(b)            restructurings of the activities of an entity and reversals of any provisions for the costs of restructuring;

(c)             disposals of items of property, plant and equipment;

(d)            disposals of investments;

(e)             discontinued operations;

(f)             litigation settlements; and

(g)             other reversals of provisions.

An entity shall present an analysis of expenses recognised in profit or loss using a classification based on either their nature or their function within the entity, whichever provides information that is reliable and more relevant.

Entities are encouraged to present the analysis in paragraph 99 in the statement(s) presenting profit or loss and other comprehensive income.

Expenses are subclassified to highlight components of financial performance that may differ in terms of frequency, potential for gain or loss and predictability. This analysis is provided in one of two forms.

The first form of analysis is the ‘nature of expense’ method. An entity aggregates expenses within profit or loss according to their nature (for example, depreciation, purchases of materials, transport costs, employee benefits and advertising costs), and does not reallocate them among functions within the entity. This method may be simple to apply because no allocations of expenses to functional classifications are necessary. An example of a classification using the nature of expense method is as follows:

The second form of analysis is the ‘function of expense’ or ‘cost of sales’ method and classifies expenses according to their function as part of cost of sales or, for example, the costs of distribution or administrative activities. At a minimum, an entity discloses its cost of sales under this method separately from other expenses. This method can provide more relevant information to users than the classification of expenses by nature, but allocating costs to functions may require arbitrary allocations and involve considerable judgement. An example of a classification using the function of expense method is as follows:

An entity classifying expenses by function shall disclose additional information on the nature of expenses, including depreciation and amortisation expense and employee benefits expense.

The choice between the function of expense method and the nature of expense method depends on historical and industry factors and the nature of the entity. Both methods provide an indication of those costs that might vary, directly or indirectly, with the level of sales or production of the entity. Because each method of presentation has merit for different types of entities, this Standard requires management to select the presentation that is reliable and more relevant. However, because information on the nature of expenses is useful in predicting future cash flows, additional disclosure is required when the function of expense classification is used. In paragraph 104, ‘employee benefits’ has the same meaning as in AASB 119.

An entity shall present a statement of changes in equity as required by paragraph 10. The statement of changes in equity includes the following information:

(a)            total comprehensive income for the period, showing separately the total amounts attributable to owners of the parent and to non-controlling interests;

(b)            for each component of equity, the effects of retrospective application or retrospective restatement recognised in accordance with AASB 108; and

(c)             [deleted]

(d)            for each component of equity, a reconciliation between the carrying amount at the beginning and the end of the period, separately (as a minimum) disclosing changes resulting from:

(i)             profit or loss;

(ii)            other comprehensive income; and

(iii)           transactions with owners in their capacity as owners, showing separately contributions by and distributions to owners and changes in ownership interests in subsidiaries that do not result in a loss of control.

For each component of equity an entity shall present, either in the statement of changes in equity or in the notes, an analysis of other comprehensive income by item (see paragraph 106(d)(ii)).

An entity shall present, either in the statement of changes in equity or in the notes, the amount of dividends recognised as distributions to owners during the period, and the related amount of dividends per share.

In paragraph 106, the components of equity include, for example, each class of contributed equity, the accumulated balance of each class of other comprehensive income and retained earnings.

Changes in an entity’s equity between the beginning and the end of the reporting period reflect the increase or decrease in its net assets during the period. Except for changes resulting from transactions with owners in their capacity as owners (such as equity contributions, reacquisitions of the entity’s own equity instruments and dividends) and transaction costs directly related to such transactions, the overall change in equity during a period represents the total amount of income and expense, including gains and losses, generated by the entity’s activities during that period.

AASB 108 requires retrospective adjustments to effect changes in accounting policies, to the extent practicable, except when the transition provisions in another Australian Accounting Standard require otherwise. AASB 108 also requires restatements to correct errors to be made retrospectively, to the extent practicable. Retrospective adjustments and retrospective restatements are not changes in equity but they are adjustments to the opening balance of retained earnings, except when an Australian Accounting Standard requires retrospective adjustment of another component of equity. Paragraph 106(b) requires disclosure in the statement of changes in equity of the total adjustment to each component of equity resulting from changes in accounting policies and, separately, from corrections of errors. These adjustments are disclosed for each prior period and the beginning of the period.

Cash flow information provides users of financial statements with a basis to assess the ability of the entity to generate cash and cash equivalents and the needs of the entity to utilise those cash flows. AASB 107 sets out requirements for the presentation and disclosure of cash flow information.

The notes shall:

(a)            present information about the basis of preparation of the financial statements and the specific accounting policies used in accordance with paragraphs 117–124;

(b)            disclose the information required by Australian Accounting Standards that is not presented elsewhere in the financial statements; and

(c)             provide information that is not presented elsewhere in the financial statements, but is relevant to an understanding of any of them.

An entity shall, as far as practicable, present notes in a systematic manner. In determining a systematic manner, the entity shall consider the effect on the understandability and comparability of its financial statements. An entity shall cross-reference each item in the statements of financial position and in the statement(s) of profit or loss and other comprehensive income, and in the statements of changes in equity and of cash flows to any related information in the notes.

Examples of systematic ordering or grouping of the notes include:

(a)            giving prominence to the areas of its activities that the entity considers to be most relevant to an understanding of its financial performance and financial position, such as grouping together information about particular operating activities;

(b)            grouping together information about items measured similarly such as assets measured at fair value; or

(c)             following the order of the line items in the statement(s) of profit or loss and other comprehensive income and the statement of financial position, such as:

(i)              statement of compliance with IFRSs (see paragraph 16);

(ii)material accounting policy information (see paragraph 117);

(iii)            supporting information for items presented in the statements of financial position and in the statement(s) of profit or loss and other comprehensive income, and in the statements of changes in equity and of cash flows, in the order in which each statement and each line item is presented; and

(iv)           other disclosures, including:

(1)           contingent liabilities (see AASB 137) and unrecognised contractual commitments; and

(2)           non-financial disclosures, eg the entity’s financial risk management objectives and policies (see AASB 7).

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An entity may present notes providing information about the basis of preparation of the financial statements and specific accounting policies as a separate section of the financial statements.

An entity shall disclose material accounting policy information (see paragraph 7). Accounting policy information is material if, when considered together with other information included in an entity’s financial statements, it can reasonably be expected to influence decisions that the primary users of general purpose financial statements make on the basis of those financial statements.

Accounting policy information that relates to immaterial transactions, other events or conditions is immaterial and need not be disclosed. Accounting policy information may nevertheless be material because of the nature of the related transactions, other events or conditions, even if the amounts are immaterial. However, not all accounting policy information relating to material transactions, other events or conditions is itself material.

Accounting policy information is expected to be material if users of an entity’s financial statements would need it to understand other material information in the financial statements. For example, an entity is likely to consider accounting policy information material to its financial statements if that information relates to material transactions, other events or conditions and:

(a)                the entity changed its accounting policy during the reporting period and this change resulted in a material change to the information in the financial statements;

(b)                the entity chose the accounting policy from one or more options permitted by Australian Accounting Standards—such a situation could arise if the entity chose to measure investment property at historical cost rather than fair value;

(c)                the accounting policy was developed in accordance with AASB 108 in the absence of an Australian Accounting Standard that specifically applies;

(d)                the accounting policy relates to an area for which an entity is required to make significant judgements or assumptions in applying an accounting policy, and the entity discloses those judgements or assumptions in accordance with paragraphs 122 and 125; or

(e)                the accounting required for them is complex and users of the entity’s financial statements would otherwise not understand those material transactions, other events or conditions—such a situation could arise if an entity applies more than one Australian Accounting Standard to a class of material transactions.

Accounting policy information that focuses on how an entity has applied the requirements of the Australian Accounting Standards to its own circumstances provides entity-specific information that is more useful to users of financial statements than standardised information, or information that only duplicates or summarises the requirements of the Standards.

If an entity discloses immaterial accounting policy information, such information shall not obscure material accounting policy information.

An entity’s conclusion that accounting policy information is immaterial does not affect the related disclosure requirements set out in other Australian Accounting Standards.

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An entity shall disclose, along with material accounting policy information or other notes, the judgements, apart from those involving estimations (see paragraph 125), that management has made in the process of applying the entity’s accounting policies and that have the most significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements.

In the process of applying the entity’s accounting policies, management makes various judgements, apart from those involving estimations, that can significantly affect the amounts it recognises in the financial statements. For example, management makes judgements in determining:

(a)            [deleted]

(b)            when substantially all the significant risks and rewards of ownership of financial assets and, for lessors, assets subject to leases are transferred to other entities;

(c)            whether, in substance, particular sales of goods are financing arrangements and therefore do not give rise to revenue; and

(d)            whether the contractual terms of a financial asset give rise on specified dates to cash flows that are solely payments of principal and interest on the principal amount outstanding.

Some of the disclosures made in accordance with paragraph 122 are required by other Australian Accounting Standards. For example, AASB 12 Disclosure of Interests in Other Entities requires an entity to disclose the judgements it has made in determining whether it controls another entity. AASB 140 Investment Property requires disclosure of the criteria developed by the entity to distinguish investment property from owner-occupied property and from property held for sale in the ordinary course of business, when classification of the property is difficult.

An entity shall disclose information about the assumptions it makes about the future, and other major sources of estimation uncertainty at the end of the reporting period, that have a significant risk of resulting in a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year. In respect of those assets and liabilities, the notes shall include details of:

(a)            their nature, and

(b)            their carrying amount as at the end of the reporting period.

Determining the carrying amounts of some assets and liabilities requires estimation of the effects of uncertain future events on those assets and liabilities at the end of the reporting period. For example, in the absence of recently observed market prices, future-oriented estimates are necessary to measure the recoverable amount of classes of property, plant and equipment, the effect of technological obsolescence on inventories, provisions subject to the future outcome of litigation in progress, and long-term employee benefit liabilities such as pension obligations. These estimates involve assumptions about such items as the risk adjustment to cash flows or discount rates, future changes in salaries and future changes in prices affecting other costs.

The assumptions and other sources of estimation uncertainty disclosed in accordance with paragraph 125 relate to the estimates that require management’s most difficult, subjective or complex judgements. As the number of variables and assumptions affecting the possible future resolution of the uncertainties increases, those judgements become more subjective and complex, and the potential for a consequential material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities normally increases accordingly.

The disclosures in paragraph 125 are not required for assets and liabilities with a significant risk that their carrying amounts might change materially within the next financial year if, at the end of the reporting period, they are measured at fair value based on a quoted price in an active market for an identical asset or liability. Such fair values might change materially within the next financial year but these changes would not arise from assumptions or other sources of estimation uncertainty at the end of the reporting period.

An entity presents the disclosures in paragraph 125 in a manner that helps users of financial statements to understand the judgements that management makes about the future and about other sources of estimation uncertainty. The nature and extent of the information provided vary according to the nature of the assumption and other circumstances. Examples of the types of disclosures an entity makes are:

(a)            the nature of the assumption or other estimation uncertainty;

(b)            the sensitivity of carrying amounts to the methods, assumptions and estimates underlying their calculation, including the reasons for the sensitivity;

(c)             the expected resolution of an uncertainty and the range of reasonably possible outcomes within the next financial year in respect of the carrying amounts of the assets and liabilities affected; and

(d)            an explanation of changes made to past assumptions concerning those assets and liabilities, if the uncertainty remains unresolved.

This Standard does not require an entity to disclose budget information or forecasts in making the disclosures in paragraph 125.

Sometimes it is impracticable to disclose the extent of the possible effects of an assumption or another source of estimation uncertainty at the end of the reporting period. In such cases, the entity discloses that it is reasonably possible, on the basis of existing knowledge, that outcomes within the next financial year that are different from the assumption could require a material adjustment to the carrying amount of the asset or liability affected. In all cases, the entity discloses the nature and carrying amount of the specific asset or liability (or class of assets or liabilities) affected by the assumption.

The disclosures in paragraph 122 of particular judgements that management made in the process of applying the entity’s accounting policies do not relate to the disclosures of sources of estimation uncertainty in paragraph 125.

Other Australian Accounting Standards require the disclosure of some of the assumptions that would otherwise be required in accordance with paragraph 125. For example, AASB 137 requires disclosure, in specified circumstances, of major assumptions concerning future events affecting classes of provisions. AASB 13 Fair Value Measurement requires disclosure of significant assumptions (including the valuation technique(s) and inputs) the entity uses when measuring the fair values of assets and liabilities that are carried at fair value.

An entity shall disclose information that enables users of its financial statements to evaluate the entity’s objectives, policies and processes for managing capital.

To comply with paragraph 134, the entity discloses the following:

(a)            qualitative information about its objectives, policies and processes for managing capital, including:

(i)              a description of what it manages as capital;

(ii)             when an entity is subject to externally imposed capital requirements, the nature of those requirements and how those requirements are incorporated into the management of capital; and

(iii)            how it is meeting its objectives for managing capital.

(b)            summary quantitative data about what it manages as capital. Some entities regard some financial liabilities (eg some forms of subordinated debt) as part of capital. Other entities regard capital as excluding some components of equity (eg components arising from cash flow hedges).

(c)             any changes in (a) and (b) from the previous period.

(d)            whether during the period it complied with any externally imposed capital requirements to which it is subject.

(e)             when the entity has not complied with such externally imposed capital requirements, the consequences of such non-compliance.

The entity bases these disclosures on the information provided internally to key management personnel.

An entity may manage capital in a number of ways and be subject to a number of different capital requirements. For example, a conglomerate may include entities that undertake insurance activities and banking activities and those entities may operate in several jurisdictions. When an aggregate disclosure of capital requirements and how capital is managed would not provide useful information or distorts a financial statement user’ understanding of an entity’s capital resources, the entity shall disclose separate information for each capital requirement to which the entity is subject.

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In respect of AusCF entities, an entity that is required to prepare financial reports in accordance with Part 2M.3 of the Corporations Act and that is not a reporting entity need not present the disclosures required by paragraphs 134–136.

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Notwithstanding paragraph AusCFAus136.1, in respect of AusCF entities, a not-for-profit entity need not present the disclosures required by paragraphs 134–136.

For puttable financial instruments classified as equity instruments, an entity shall disclose (to the extent not disclosed elsewhere):

(a)            summary quantitative data about the amount classified as equity;

(b)            its objectives, policies and processes for managing its obligation to repurchase or redeem the instruments when required to do so by the instrument holders, including any changes from the previous period;

(c)             the expected cash outflow on redemption or repurchase of that class of financial instruments; and

(d)            information about how the expected cash outflow on redemption or repurchase was determined.

An entity shall disclose in the notes:

(a)            the amount of dividends proposed or declared before the financial statements were authorised for issue but not recognised as a distribution to owners during the period, and the related amount per share; and

(b)            the amount of any cumulative preference dividends not recognised.

An entity shall disclose the following, if not disclosed elsewhere in information published with the financial statements:

(a)            the domicile and legal form of the entity, its country of incorporation and the address of its registered office (or principal place of business, if different from the registered office);

(b)            a description of the nature of the entity’s operations and its principal activities;

(c)             the name of the parent and the ultimate parent of the group; and

(d)            if it is a limited life entity, information regarding the length of its life.