Developing issuing and maintaining principles-based accounting standards

The AASB, in accordance with the FRC direction in 2002, has adopted IFRS accounting and external reporting standards as part of our strategy to facilitate confidence in the Australian economy.

Maintaining IFRS compliance for publicly accountable for-profit entities and using IFRS as a baseline for other entities, means that overseas investors understand our financial reporting and consistency helps reduce the costs incurred by our companies seeking to raise funds. In addition, using IFRS as a basis for other entities promotes professional mobility across the three sectors and also meets our objectives for improving comparability and user confidence in financial reporting.

The following diagram identifies the high-level interaction undertaken by the AASB in developing, issuing and maintaining Australian Accounting Standards.

The principles that underpin the standard-setting process, those of identifying issues, researching, consulting, and considering feedback, enable us to develop, issue and maintain principle-based accounting standards that meet user’s needs and facilitate confidence in the Australian economy.