Disclosures (AASB124_07-15_COMPmar20_07-21)

Relationships between a parent and its subsidiaries shall be disclosed irrespective of whether there have been transactions between them. An entity shall disclose the name of its parent and, if different, the ultimate controlling party. If neither the entity’s parent nor the ultimate controlling party produces consolidated financial statements available for public use, the name of the next most senior parent that does so shall also be disclosed.

When any of the parent entities and/or ultimate controlling parties named in accordance with paragraph 13 is incorporated or otherwise constituted outside Australia, an entity shall:

(a) identify which of those entities is incorporated overseas and where; and

(b) disclose the name of the ultimate controlling entity incorporated within Australia.

To enable users of financial statements to form a view about the effects of related party relationships on an entity, it is appropriate to disclose the related party relationship when control exists, irrespective of whether there have been transactions between the related parties.

The requirement to disclose related party relationships between a parent and its subsidiaries is in addition to the disclosure requirements in AASB 127 and AASB 12 Disclosure of Interests in Other Entities.

Paragraph 13 refers to the next most senior parent. This is the first parent in the group above the immediate parent that produces consolidated financial statements available for public use.

An entity shall disclose key management personnel compensation in total and for each of the following categories:

(a) short-term employee benefits;

(b) post-employment benefits;

(c) other long-term benefits;

(d) termination benefits; and

(e) share-based payment.

If an entity obtains key management personnel services from another entity (the ‘management entity’), the entity is not required to apply the requirements in paragraph 17 to the compensation paid or payable by the management entity to the management entity’s employees or directors.

If an entity has had related party transactions during the periods covered by the financial statements, it shall disclose the nature of the related party relationship as well as information about those transactions and outstanding balances, including commitments, necessary for users to understand the potential effect of the relationship on the financial statements. These disclosure requirements are in addition to those in paragraph 17. At a minimum, disclosures shall include:

(a) the amount of the transactions;

(b) the amount of outstanding balances, including commitments, and:

(i) their terms and conditions, including whether they are secured, and the nature of the consideration to be provided in settlement; and

(ii) details of any guarantees given or received;

(c) provisions for doubtful debts related to the amount of outstanding balances; and

(d) the expense recognised during the period in respect of bad or doubtful debts due from related parties.

Amounts incurred by the entity for the provision of key management personnel services that are provided by a separate management entity shall be disclosed.

The disclosures required by paragraph 18 shall be made separately for each of the following categories:

(a) the parent;

(b) entities with joint control of, or significant influence over, the entity;

(c) subsidiaries;

(d) associates;

(e) joint ventures in which the entity is a joint venturer;

(f) key management personnel of the entity or its parent; and

(g) other related parties.

The classification of amounts payable to, and receivable from, related parties in the different categories as required in paragraph 19 is an extension of the disclosure requirement in AASB 101 Presentation of Financial Statements for information to be presented either in the statement of financial position or in the notes. The categories are extended to provide a more comprehensive analysis of related party balances and apply to related party transactions.

The following are examples of transactions that are disclosed if they are with a related party:

(a) purchases or sales of goods (finished or unfinished);

(b) purchases or sales of property and other assets;

(c) rendering or receiving of services;

(d) leases;

(e) transfers of research and development;

(f) transfers under licence agreements;

(g) transfers under finance arrangements (including loans and equity contributions in cash or in kind);

(h) provision of guarantees or collateral;

(i) commitments to do something if a particular event occurs or does not occur in the future, including executory contracts^[1] (recognised and unrecognised); and

(j) settlement of liabilities on behalf of the entity or by the entity on behalf of that related party.

Participation by a parent or subsidiary in a defined benefit plan that shares risks between group entities is a transaction between related parties (see paragraph 42 of AASB 119).

Disclosures that related party transactions were made on terms equivalent to those that prevail in arm’s length transactions are made only if such terms can be substantiated.

Items of a similar nature may be disclosed in aggregate except when separate disclosure is necessary for an understanding of the effects of related party transactions on the financial statements of the entity.

A reporting entity is exempt from the disclosure requirements of paragraph 18 in relation to related party transactions and outstanding balances, including commitments, with:

(a) a government that has control or joint control of, or significant influence over, the reporting entity; and

(b) another entity that is a related party because the same government has control or joint control of, or significant influence over, both the reporting entity and the other entity.

If a reporting entity applies the exemption in paragraph 25, it shall disclose the following about the transactions and related outstanding balances referred to in paragraph 25:

(a) the name of the government and the nature of its relationship with the reporting entity (ie control, joint control or significant influence);

(b) the following information in sufficient detail to enable users of the entity’s financial statements to understand the effect of related party transactions on its financial statements:

(i) the nature and amount of each individually significant transaction; and

(ii) for other transactions that are collectively, but not individually, significant, a qualitative or quantitative indication of their extent. Types of transactions include those listed in paragraph 21.

In using its judgement to determine the level of detail to be disclosed in accordance with the requirements in paragraph 26(b), the reporting entity shall consider the closeness of the related party relationship and other factors relevant in establishing the level of significance of the transaction such as whether it is:

(a) significant in terms of size;

(b) carried out on non-market terms;

(c) outside normal day-to-day business operations, such as the purchase and sale of businesses;

(d) disclosed to regulatory or supervisory authorities;

(e) reported to senior management;

(f) subject to shareholder approval.