The new accounting manual has been prepared in sections, with each section having its own contents page:
- Roles and Responsibilities
- Strategic Issues in Finance [Under Review]
- The Budget Process
- Local Government Accounting
- Financial Reporting
- Internal Control Framework
- Financial Management [Under Review]
- Asset Accounting
- Liabilities
- Integrated Planning and Reporting
- Attachments and Reference Materials
The key financial statements and notes as far as practicable have been cross-referenced to the Australian Accounting Standards and Western Australian legislation. The commentary to the financial statements and notes are on the left page to each document with a brief explanation of the standard and legislation. To obtain a clearer understanding of the Australian Accounting Standard, please refer to the narratives provided by each Australian Accounting Standard, the UIG pronouncement or the Local Government Act 1995 and the Local Government (Financial Management) Regulations 1996.
The abbreviations used refer to the following:
-
AASB: Australian Accounting Standards followed by the number of the applicable standard;
- AASBI: Australian Accounting Standards Board Interpretations replaces the Urgent Issues Group and identifies and classifies interpretations into two groups (refer AASB 1048)
- DLG: Department of Local Government (now Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries)
- CEO: Chief Executive Officer of the local government
- FMR: Local Government (Financial Management) Regulations 1996;
- LGA: Local Government Act 1995;
- F: AASB Framework for the Presentation and Preparation of Financial Statements.
- SAC: Statement of Accounting Concepts followed by the number of the statement
- UIG: Urgent Issues Group pronouncement followed by the number of the pronouncement (now disbanded);
There is an index to the individual notes used as part of the financial statements. These notes may not reflect all the notes used by an individual local government and should be amended to more accurately reflect the content and policy notes of the individual local government. Not all sections are complete and will be released in due course and amended where required for changes or updates to standards and legislation.