In extreme cases, chief accounting officers may feel forced to deviate
from regulations in the interest of the quality of information given to users.
The more tailored the accounting regulations, the less reason can be found
to let a “true and fair override” become part of it. If a true and fair override
is allowed, it has to be accompanied by a “comply or explain” obligation. In
most cases, the questions about information quality deal primarily with the
extent to which the notes elaborate on factors such as performance, reasons
for underperformance or budget overruns, and the like. The way these quality
questions are dealt with is explicitly the concern of the government auditor.
The overriding question the government auditor has to ask is whether the
information given in the financial report contributes to optimal supervision
by the legislature, which is a more far-reaching question than strict compliance
with applicable formal requirements.