Auditing Standards of ABC Learning Centre †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Auditing Standards of ABC Learning Centre. Answer: Introduction ASA701 defines key audit matters (KAM) as the financial reporting aspects that an auditor in his professional capacity and judgment considers crucial while conducting audits of financial statements for a particular fiscal year (Azim, 2013). In most cases, KAM are determined based on previous concerns and suggestions provided by the current company governance (Cordos, and Flpa, 2015). Recent studies have defined ISA 701 as a mandatory audit documentary for complete financial statements sets of the given entities (Champlain, 2003). Usually, ISA70 is applicable in situations whereby the law or available regulatory platform expects the auditor to communicate KAM within his or her report (Xu et al., 2011). Regulators in most American nations need this kind of communication of KAM in their auditors report. Auditors of public sector entities are also expected to communicate KAM during thepreparation of their audit reports (Azim, 2013). The importance of communicatingkey audit matters in the auditors report is enhanced by the collapse of ABC Learning Centers. Necessity of Auditing according to ISA 701 Key Audit Matters (KAM) It is necessary for any firm or organization to perform an audit of their financial statements. Provision of accountability is among the reasons that necessitate auditing. As per ISA 701 when thebusiness grows large, there is need to keep track of who is accountable for the different operations being conducted. This is necessary especially when stockholders are onboard, and accountability is highly required. At such a point, managers are expected to ensure that they are updatedin order to provide more accurate reports (Chapman, 2004). Provision of reliability is another reason as to why there is need to perform auditing. Financial institutions, the tax office, and management will always attain significant benefits through conducting anauditin their financial statements. With a self-governing financial audit, financial firms can rely on the accuracy of the data provided in an auditing report based on analyzed data. Financial auditing offer assurance among organizations. Just like any other process, no audit can promise 100% accuracy and assurance. In all auditing work, a certain level of reasonable assurance must be obtained through conducting an audit with due diligence. This saves financial firms from re-calculations or correction of their misstatements (Chapman, 2004). In such a case, firms will have peace of mind which onlya few other checks or protocols can promise. Through financial auditing, financial firms are presented with a complete report of their annual achievements. A small but very critical detail involves the fact that audit offers a report based on nature and shape of any given business. Among the most valuable factor to consider in this case is that, its often what is not reported which makes all the difference (Conklin, 2004). Having complete records is an indication that, anything happening in the firm will be updated automatically. Financial auditing offers firms with the power of feedback. When it comes to business protection, financial experts state that there is need to prevent than cure. If an individual is not aware of any potential issues, they will have no power to fix them. In any financial firm, an auditing process boosts both their credit rating and value. Both regular, as well as continuous auditing of financial statements,is termed as an attractive part of any organization. Financial auditing is highly necessary for individuals such as creditors, lenders, and investors (Conklin, 2004). In other words, financial auditing helps financial firms in stabilizing credit rating of their business. It also offers an effective assurance to would-be investors as well as keeping national and central banks on the safe side. Auditing issues Auditing issues that led to the collapse of ABC Learning Centers relate to the auditors inability to obtain appropriate audit evidence, failure to support the opinion that ABCs financial report did not have material misstatements, failure to deal with identified risks by developing auditing procedure stipulated by auditing standards and inability by Mr. Green- the appointed auditor to use his scepticism and professional judgement when auditing the financial reports of ABC. Various auditing issues characterized the unfortunate collapse of ABC Learning Center. Among the auditingissues which facilitatedthe collapse of ABC leaning Centre, is accounting principles. A large percentage of the acquisitions made by ABC Learning Center were based on licenses of other childcare institutions as well as huge amounts of goodwill (Sumsion, 2006). As a result, this firm was unable to control the high debts facing it. At the start of the 2006/7 financialyear, total goodwill amounted to a total of A$37.4 million while child care licensesamounted to A$647.6 million. As time went by, goodwill shifted to A$271 million while licenses increased to A$2.4 billion during the end of FY2007/8 (Elder, Beasley and Arens, 2010). After its collapse, all of the firms intangible assets were declared worthless (Kruger, 2017). Another auditing issue was identified in the reporting of high rates of debt on ABC financial statements. Throughout the year 2007, ABCs liabilities remained constant. High rates of debts served as a challenge towards achieving its target mission. As a result, this contributed towards the collapse of the firm. In December 2007, more than A$1.1 billion in debt was transferred from current to non-current liabilities, as a result of refinancing. ABC lacked sufficient auditing which could be used to monitor increment in total liabilities. ABCs lenders were mainly comprised of leading banks (Elder, Beasley and Arens, 2010). During 13th, June 2007, ABC was forced to finalize a syndicated bank facility with a total cost of approximately A$1.48 billion. During the first-half of FY2007/8, profit obtained had already fallen by around 42 percent. This was said to have occurred due to one-off-charges, as well as covenants for debts which amounted to around A$1.2 billion. Since it was already heading to trouble, ABC strained to renegotiate a loan agreement with established bankers. A complete failure or turnaround was encountered after rejection by the banking-syndicate. High Operating cash flow served as a key factor towards thefailure of ABC Learning Centre. ABC was unable to generate sufficient operating cash flow to cater for its interest, suppliers, salaries as well as dividends. Although the firm profits are said to have been increasing at a constant rate, over the last fewyears, it reached a point where it recorded a continuous negative profit in its financial statements (Foran, Olson and Reed, 2005). At such a point, the company ran out of cash which in turn lead to failure and closure. It was later recognizedthatsome of ABCs directors and Groves pledged most of their shares to borrow money. After a short time span, the share-price plummeted which in turn forced them to sell shares at rates of 5.6 percent of the corporation to satisfy their margin-calls. Such an attempt only worsened after flooding the share market which later pummeled the share-price further. The ABC case implies a form of forced sale of pledged-shares (Foran, Olson and Reed, 2005). Based on the above observation, fluctuation of share prices can result in a dramatic impact on the businesss stock-price. Other auditing factors which resulted in the failure of ABC include social, political as well as financial disasters. Based on social approach, the company lacked advert facilities to update the public on their services. Politically, the government showed no concern towards supporting ABC firm. At some point, the firm needed aloan to boost its services, but the national government never cared. Current research has concluded that ABC used to face consistent financial disasters due to poor auditing (Geiger, 1993). Auditing lays down some of theareas which should be given priorities for the progress of the firm. Lastly, thepoor management system of the company served as the key factor for its failure. Poor management generates apoor outcome. Managers of this firm have been classified to be incompetent and responsible for its failure. They were unwilling to perform an audit to gauge their financial achievement. Development of ISA 701 The main and critical role of AuditingStandard ASA 701 involves Communicating Key Audit Matters in the Independent Auditor's Report. Current researchers have concluded that the main purpose of having an auditing Standard is to ensure consistent representation of the Australian equivalent of ISA 701. The introduction and implementation of ASA 701 illustrate more on AUASBs commitment to conform with the current enhancements based on auditor reporting which was put in place by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards (Montgomery, 2013). The following are some of issues and needs which facilitated implementation of new auditing Standards ASA 701. Another issue that led to thedevelopment of ISA 701 is the need to mandate and facilitate the communication of KAM within the scope of auditors reports of audits based on the existing as well as listed entities. Moreover, the new standards aimed at enabling as well as assisting auditors of other entities when deciding on how to include KAM within their auditors reports. The factor which drove theestablishment of these new standards involved issuing guidelines on how the auditor determines KAM. KAM layout as indicated in the new standards was based on the determination of both matters communicated as well as those charged with governance (Montgomery, 2013). In other words, communicatedmattersare defined as those matters which needed significant auditor attention. The rapid increase in cases of financial firms collapsing facilitated changes and implementation of new auditing standards. In such a case, the new auditing standards covered areas of higher assessed risk among other critical auditor judgments. Additionally, the new standards catered for areas to do with significant management judgments as well as effects of significant firm events and transactions. Moreover, there was aneed to give a description based on how to determine the most important matters. Issues to do with how the auditor should describe each of individual KAM were brought in place. As a result, there was aneed to lay down new standards to cater for the implementation of each independent KAM within a given financial firm. Lastly, there was aneed to highlight more on circumstances as well as areas which were to be in place in order to determine or give an alternative approach in case KAM standards are not addressed or communicated in the auditors report. Additionally, all existing, as well as new changes, should conform and agree with the Australian regulatoryenvironment. New changes made to the firm financial auditing standards should be easily and capable of enforcement. The auditing process should possess a clear focus on public-interest and should be ofutmost quality. Carson, Fargher, and Zhang (2016) note that it is a mandatory to involve both the International Standards on Auditing (ISA) and the Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) Key Audit Matters Among some of thecauses which lead to this financial crisis within ABC involvefinancial statements misrepresentation, themarket for the credit default swaps, complex company structure, unethical behavior and practices of top managers, and lowauditing standards set by Lehman-Brothers. The process of financial auditing should be based on the above factors in order to prevent firms from running into financial crisis. Within ABC we had theexistence of testimonials which advocated that the misrepresentation among the ABC Learning Centerstopmost managers. At some point, researchers have concluded that the collapse of ABC was due to dishonor as well as disagreement with the Sarbanes Oxley-Act. This auditing standard recognized requirements as well delivered application and other descriptive materials as per the auditors reporting which was put in place by the international Auditing and Assurance-Standards Board. The ABC Learning Centre should have complied with these regulations by mandating and ensuring consistent KAM communication throughout their auditors reports based on the listed entities (Foran, Olson and Reed, 2005). In such a case, ABC Managers should have enabled auditors of other entities in coming up with decisions based on if to include KAM within their auditors report or not. In such a situation, the auditor would be responsible for determining KAM for the ABC Firm by reaching a decision based on earlier matters communicated with new charges on the governance (Ricchiute, 2006). These are matters which needed more significant as well as critical auditors attention. Auditors, in this case, would have been responsible for determining and reaching a conclusion based on thesignificant matter for inclusion in the auditors report. In our case, the auditors from ABC Learning Centre documentation didnt possess similar requirements as expected by KAM principles. Recommendations Based on the above analysis of ABC Learning Centre, I would recommend new changes in auditing standards. The changes should be in a manner that firm managers easily understand them. Firms should also think of hiring independent auditors in order to prevent theoccurrence of any future financial disasters. Independent auditors will serve as a monitoring tool in facilitating firms towards achieving their set goals. In a view to avoiding confusion, new auditing changes should conform with the KAM principles. Conclusion In conclusion, firms should think of implementing financial auditing as their daily activity. Firms with high rates of auditing have shown to have a high number of investors. In other words, theprofitability of any firm goes hand in hand with rates of auditing. Firms with high numbers of investors have high chances of attaining profits as compared to firms with alesser number of auditors (Ricchiute, 2006). If auditing of financial statements had been well addressed within organizations such as ABC Learning Centre among other firms, we would not have cases of firm failure or collapse. References Arens, A.A., Best, P., Shailer, G., Fiedler, B., Elder, R.J. and Beasley, M., (2007).Auditing and assurance services in Australia: an integrated approach. Pearson Education Australia. Asic.gov.au. (2017). 12-186MR Former ABC Learning Centres auditor prevented from auditing companies for five years | ASIC - Australian Securities and Investments Commission. 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