Insights

Fraud prevention: it’s all about opportunity

Fraud in Australia is a persistent fact of life, affecting businesses of all sizes and across all industries. While there is no foolproof method of preventing fraud, the risk can be minimised by taking a systematic and considered approach to its management. It is generally accepted that there are three...

Geoff Peck

Partner - PKF Integrity

Melbourne

Insights

Is your business system still fit for purpose?

As a partner at PKF Digital, I’ve seen many clients in the same frustrating position: financial audits that were once manageable have turned into time-consuming torture. If you’re spending more time and energy than ever preparing for audits, your business system might be the culprit. Business systems should streamline processes,...

Don McLean

PKF Digital Partner

Sydney

Insights

Sustainability and the role of organisations

Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards are now live. In this article, we explore where your business can start to address these new requirements.

2 contributors

Melbourne, Perth

Insights

Cyber risk: secure your business like you secure your home

There are two types of businesses—those that have been hacked and those that will be. We often work with companies that don't realise how vulnerable they actually are, until it's too late. The biggest mistake? Ignoring key cyber risks, leaving critical information exposed, and not knowing what threats exist. Protecting...

Tony Corry

Director - Technology Assurance and Advisory

Brisbane, Melbourne

Insights

The future of AI regulation in Australia: understanding the proposed mandatory guardrails for high-risk AI

Regulation is coming: are you ready? Artificial Intelligence (AI) has grown from simple, single-task systems to powerful large-language models (LLMs), like ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Co-Pilot, but there hasn't been much regulation or control over its development. The rapid pace of technological advancement has outstripped the ability of regulatory frameworks to...

Rory O'Kane

Senior Data Scientist

Melbourne

Insights

Elevation and maturity of the internal audit function

With less than six months to go, has your organisation considered how to implement the new internal audit standards? Internal Audit (‘IA’) plays a vital role in helping organisations achieve improved performance, in ensuring risks are adequately managed in an increasingly complex landscape, and in protecting the public interest. To...

2 contributors

Brisbane

Time running out to implement bribery prevention

Insights

Time is running out to implement foreign bribery prevention measures

In March 2024, the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Combatting Foreign Bribery) Act 2024 (Cth) was passed. The Act is designed to remove barriers to foreign bribery investigations and prosecutions previously faced by law enforcement and prosecutors. The key changes include: A company will be criminally liable if an associate (an officer,...

Geoff Peck

Partner - PKF Integrity

Melbourne

Insights

Enabling a consistent approach to tax affecting your leases and decommission responsibilities

For the year ended 30 June 2024 (and 31 December 2023), entities are required to recognise a related deferred tax asset (DTA) and a deferred tax liability (DTL) for leases and decommissioning liabilities. In June 2021, the Australian Accounting Standard Board (AASB) published AASB 2021-5 Amendments to Australian Accounting Standards...

Garry Mathoda

Director

Sydney

Insights

ASIC focus to improve investor confidence and knowledge

In May 2024, ASIC published its Focus Areas for the 30 June 2024 reporting season, giving priority to educating and building the confidence of investors. ASIC focus areas are now classified as either: Enduring focus areas, orParticular focus areas. ASIC highlighted financial reporting areas which they have determined to be...

James Lee

Partner

Sydney, Newcastle

Insights

Unpacking the new consolidated entity disclosures

As a result of the introduction of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Making Multinationals Pay Their Fair Share – Integrity and Transparency) Bill 2023, from 30 June 2024 onwards, Australian public companies who prepare a consolidated financial report (except those companies that report to the ACNC) must include a new consolidated...

Ken Weldin

Partner

Melbourne

Insights

Strengthening resilience: Considerations for Australian business following the largest global outage in history

On Friday, 19 July 2024, worldwide infrastructure crumbled in what is now recognised as the largest outage the global economy has ever seen. A critical error in CrowdStrike Falcon led to a widespread outage affecting organisations relying on their endpoint protection services. The error was introduced during a routine software...

Tony Corry

Director - Technology Assurance and Advisory

Brisbane, Melbourne

Clarity Mag

Changes to financial performance reporting to bring investors more consistency

On 9 April 2024 the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) issued its new standard IFRS 18 Presentation and Disclosure in Financial Statements. IFRS 18 (AASB 18, when adopted in Australia) will replace IAS 1 (AASB 101) Presentation of Financial Statements. This standard is effective for most for-profit entities for financial...

Simon Fermanis

Partner

Perth

Clarity Mag

Revenue recognition for cloud software providers

The days of desktop versions of software files downloaded and installed on local computers (remember MYOB desktop?) are numbered and providers of software applications such as accounting applications, software security systems, ERPs and a myriad of others are moving to cloud deployments. This presents complexity for the provider of the...

Clarity Mag

PPP operators — have you considered AASB Interpretation 12?

Governments, including local governments and other public sector entities, often enter into arrangements with private sector entities, including charities, to operate and fund public services. These arrangements are commonly referred to as public private partnerships (PPPs). A common example is where, where a private sector entity (the operator), constructs and...

Kym Reilly

Partner

Sydney, Newcastle

Clarity Mag

Proposed changes to the ASX corporate governance principles and recommendations

The 4th Edition of the ASX Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations were issued in 2019. On 27 February 2024, the ASX Corporate Governance Council released its Consultation Draft for the 5th Edition of the Principles and Recommendations. The proposed changes are intended to strengthen listed entities’ governance and increase transparency...

Shaun Lindemann

Partner

Brisbane

Clarity Mag

Mandated climate reporting in Australia

On 27 March 2024, a Bill was passed in the Australian Government to mark a new era in mandated sustainability reporting for all Australian businesses. Schedule 4 to the Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Market Infrastructure and Other Measures) Bill 2024 (Cth) was introduced into the House of Representatives to establish...

2 contributors

Melbourne

Insights

Data governance — a decision making approach

Over the past year, PKF, working with the Governance Institute of Australia, Macquarie University’s DataX Research Centre, and other expert organisations, has supported an important research study to assess the data governance landscape in Australia. The findings are unexpected and motivating.Survey participants and process In August 2023, the Governance Institute...

Ken Weldin

Partner

Melbourne

Insights

Cyber security as a cornerstone of sustainable supply chain

Imagine this... your business has undergone rigorous internal audits and your processes gleam. But, a single security breach in one of your supplier’s systems exposes sensitive data, disrupts operations, and shatters customer trust. In 2024, with rampant cybercrime, complex global partnerships, and data privacy regulations tightening, ignoring supply chain security...

Phillipa Ngorima

IT Auditor

Sydney, Newcastle

Insights

Local government changes — a sign of the times

As of mid-2022 all NSW local government councils and joint organisations were required to have considered the 2023 Risk and Audit Guidelines. The 2023 Guidelines replace the 2010 NSW Government’s Internal Audit Guidelines for Local Government in NSW. They seek to incorporate findings and lessons learnt from relevant industry reviews...

2 Contributors

Brisbane

Insights

ASIC surveillance results — areas of improvement for financial reporting and audit quality

In October 2023, ASIC published its annual surveillance report. The report highlights areas where the quality of financial reporting and audits can be improved. The surveillance report summarises findings from ASIC’s reviews of both financial reports (180 ASXlisted entities and large unlisted entities) and audit files (15 related audit files...

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Kevin Nguyen

Auditor

Perth

Insights

How the economy is impacting financial reporting

Our economic climate is changing, and so too is how we must approach the preparation of financial reports for upcoming reporting periods. Changing conditions means that the preparation of financial reports will not simply be a rollover of the estimates used in the preparation of the previous financial report. Many...

Kevin Helmers

Partner

Newcastle, Sydney

Insights

Taming the trail: Risk mitigation in mountain biking and business

As a new convert to mountain biking, it didn’t take me long to realise that riders face an array of obstacles that can send you tumbling down a hill faster than a stock market crash. But what I soon learnt is that the secrets to risk mitigation in mountain biking...

Cameron Bradley

Partner

Brisbane

Insights

Tax governance matters

Taxation in Australia is both complicated and constantly changing. Public interest in the tax system is arguably at an all-time high. Politically there is a desire to increase tax transparency for larger businesses and high net worth individuals to provide community confidence that ‘the bigger end of town’ is paying...

Garry Mathoda

Director

Sydney

Insights

Embracing the data analytics revolution

Data analytics, at its core, is the art and science of extracting actionable insights from the labyrinth of data. It encompasses the use of cutting-edge tools and methodologies to dissect, analyse, visualise, and interpret data, leading to informed and strategic decision-making. This pivotal concept has gained immense significance in today’s...

Sangeetha Ravisankar

Senior Data Analyst

Sydney, Newcastle

Insights

ESG: The future of reporting

In our continued exploration of better practice in Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) reporting, our focus turns to the agricultural sector. We hope this case study provides guidance and insight to support you on your own ESG journey. There are significant benefits to be gained by reporting on ESG factors, however,...

Dawn Alexander

Partner

New Zealand

Insights

Building trust through ESG: Community engagement in the mining sector

The mining industry, historically linked with significant environmental and social impacts, faces increasing pressure from stakeholders to demonstrate responsible business practices. This pressure is not just regulatory or market-driven, it comes from the very communities where these companies operate. This is where a robust Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy...

Darren Shillington

Managing Partner

Perth

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Insights

ESG — the future of reporting

Reporting on ESG outcomes is an increasing expectation of investors, and a legal requirement for some organisations. It can be difficult to know where to start, so, to assist with your transition to ESG reporting, we have consulted experts in this field to glean insights from their experiences. Top tips...

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Insights

Climate-related financial disclosure

Climate change is recognised internationally as presenting material risks to the global financial system. These risks need to be managed by capital markets, regulators and corporations. They include physical risks of climate change and the transition risks associated with policy, regulatory and technological change brought on by efforts to mitigate...

Eve Drake

Partner

Newcastle

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Insights

Seeking external valuations on land and buildings in 2023

We are progressing through another pivotal reporting period, being 30 June 2023. It’s at this time (or earlier) when directors of companies determine that external valuations may be needed in support of the carrying value of land and buildings recorded in the balance sheet. These could be either owner occupied...

Kaitlynn Brady

Partner

Melbourne

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Insights

Enhanced disclosure requirements for charities

A charity registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC) is required to prepare either general purpose financial statements (GPFS) or special purpose financial statements (SPFS). The reforms that were effective from 1 July 2021 that saw the end of SPFS for many for-profit private sector entities did not...

Kym Reilly

Partner

Sydney, Newcastle

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Insights

ASIC’s financial reporting hit list for 30 June 2023

As we progress through the 30 June 2023 financial reporting season, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has placed a strong focus on the current economic climate in which entities are operating and how this may affect their business, especially considering factors such as increasing interest rates and rising...

Kevin Nguyen

Auditor

Perth

Insights

Are you ready for APRA’s CPS230?

In July 2022, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) released a draft cross-industry Prudential Standard CPS 230 ‘Operational Risk Management’. The proposed CPS230 applies to all APRA-regulated entities including the banking, insurance and superannuation industries and becomes effective from 1 July 2025. Key objectives of CPS230 APRA has observed three...

Insights

Consider a new approach to fraud mitigation

The cost-of-living crisis and current economic conditions are presenting unique circumstances for businesses to navigate. Australians have just experienced their tenth straight interest rate rise since May 2022 with the potential for more, the highest inflation for 30 years, and an ongoing rental crisis. These factors have increased the pressure...

Julia Patterson

Principal

Sydney

Clarity shutterstock 662881189 lessons learned from SVB collapse

Insights

Know your financial risk: Lessons from the Silcon Valley Bank collapse

What just happened? “The news of a bank collapse always sends shockwaves through the financial world, stirring up concerns and triggering memories of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. While the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank may seem like an isolated event caused by unique circumstances, it serves as a massive...

Maritsa Hugo

Workplace investigations Adobe Stock 601141429 Handling receipts

Insights

Handling receipts of whistleblower complaints: Are you providing staff training?

The way a whistleblowing disclosure is initially handled can have an impact on the outcome of the disclosure and is a critical component of the whistleblower complaint management process. Effective handling of disclosed information can lead to better outcomes, while mishandling of the information can halt progress and influence the...

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Insights

Learnings from the introduction of modern slavery legislation

One year ago, on 1 January 2022, new modern slavery laws came into effect in New South Wales with affected organisations expected to have been compliant for over 12 months. The Modern Slavery Act (2018) requires public sector agencies to implement effective systems, processes and controls to prevent, identify, and...

Insights

The benefits of an effective whistleblower program

As you reflect on your plans for 2023, take a moment to consider the introduction of a whistleblower protection program for your business. Not only is it a regulatory requirement for all large proprietary and publicly listed companies, it is becoming increasingly embraced by organisations large and small, public and...

Insights

Time to declutter your accounting policies

As part of endeavours by the AASB and IASB to improve the usefulness of financial reporting and move towards more principle-based disclosure, changes have been made to AASB 101: Presentation of Financial Statements. The amendments will require preparers to present only material accounting policies which is a change from the...

Scott Tobutt

Partner

Sydney, Newcastle

Insights

Are you prepared for cyber attack?

The final months of 2022 reminded us all of the importance of how quickly things can go wrong in the event of a cyber security issue. Recently, a number of high profile data breaches have had serious impacts for individuals affected, as well as longer term reputational and financial consequences...

Ken Weldin

Partner

Melbourne

Insights

Time to simplify accounting requirements for smaller NFP entities

Financial statements play an important role in helping not-for-profit (NFP) private sector entities stay accountable, manage their limited resources effectively and provide transparency to users. However, many smaller NFP entities find that current Australian financial reporting requirements are overly complex to apply and onerous for stakeholders. In response to this,...

Insights

Risky business

In September, the Governance Institute of Australia held its 2022 National Conference, for many marking a return to face-to-face events in Melbourne after you know what. The theme for the conference was ‘Modern Philosophies’ and explored risk management, ESG, societal leadership, the regulatory environment, innovation, inclusiveness and equality, as well...

Ken Weldin

Partner

Melbourne

Insights

Time to outsource your internal audit?

With the ongoing resource restraints in the audit and assurance profession and the fight for talent, we have started to see more organisations consider their options in relation to the delivery of their internal audit function. This may be with a view to providing more stability, reducing key man risk,...

Insights

Increasing corporate transparency

In August 2022, the Treasury Laws Amendment 2022 (the “Act”) was passed by both Houses of Parliament which had, among other things, an unanticipated impact on Australian corporate reporting. These are some of the key amendments made to ASIC Corporations (Exempt Proprietary Companies) Instrument 2015/840, the Corporations Act 2001, and...

Ewan McIvor

Principal

Sydney, Newcastle

Insights

IT general controls: A vital base for compliance and cyber security

IT General Controls (ITGCs) provide important insight into an organisation’s risk and control environment. Here, we highlight three common red flags for access controls (a key aspect of ITGC) and suggest how to avoid the associated risks. What are IT general controls? ITGC is a subset of IT controls and...

Insights

The Pandora Papers

In early October 2021, the news broke of the coordinated ‘leak’ of 11.9 million documents, from 14 different offshore firms. The ‘Pandora Papers’ is a large-scale investigative project by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, the Organised Crime and Corruption Project, and over 600 journalists from 117 countries. To emphasise...

Insights

Intelligence rises at AUSTRAC

With continuous investment into the effectiveness of their intelligence function, timely expert insights from The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC), seek to provide much needed knowledge surrounding the prevention, detection, and disruption of Money-Laundering and Terrorism-Finance (ML/TF) risk. Within the last 12 to 18 months, AUSTRAC have repeatedly...

Insights

Three Lines Model: No longer a defence

As we hit the 12 month mark, since the The Institute of Internal Auditors’ (IIA) release of the revised ‘Three Lines of Defence’, have you examined how the updated ‘Three Lines Model’, may effect your business? The objective of the new Three Lines Model is to help organisations identify and...

Paul Pearman

Partner

Sydney, Newcastle

Insights

Aged Care providers are used to dealing with acronyms – now they have a new one to learn

What do you need to consider when one of the main revenue streams for your business changes? That’s exactly what Australian Government funded Residential Aged Care providers should be contemplating right now. Providers will cease getting Federal care subsidy payments for consumers in Residential Aged Care under the Aged Care...

Cameron Bradley

Partner

Brisbane

Insights

Geoff Peck

Don McLean

2 contributors

Tony Corry

Rory O'Kane

2 contributors

Geoff Peck

Garry Mathoda

James Lee

Ken Weldin

Tony Corry

Simon Fermanis

Kym Reilly

Shaun Lindemann

2 contributors

Ken Weldin

Phillipa Ngorima

2 Contributors

Kevin Nguyen

Kevin Helmers

Cameron Bradley

Garry Mathoda

Sangeetha Ravisankar

Dawn Alexander

Darren Shillington

Eve Drake

Kaitlynn Brady

Kym Reilly

Kevin Nguyen

Julia Patterson

Maritsa Hugo

Scott Tobutt

Ken Weldin

Ken Weldin

Ewan McIvor

Paul Pearman

Cameron Bradley

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