Government organizations are income-spending organizations for which a
positive bottom line is not the indicator of success. Success needs to be
displayed in every policy area, and will be measured in various ways.
Thus, the supervisory procedure is more complicated than in a private
company, making a long-form auditor’s report indispensable in government
organizations. Long-form reports provide auditors the opportunity
to present information about findings for each policy area. This makes it
possible for legislatures to extend their supervisory function to all areas of
policy execution implemented by the executive.
This does not imply that a short-form auditor’s report would not be
useful in the government environment. On the contrary, the representatives
can use the comprehensive judgment of the auditor when the longform
report may consist of a series of findings that could convey the
wrong idea about the overall view. So the auditor’s professional support
can be very helpful.
Moreover, the financial statements are also presented to the public,
which does not have to approve and can limit itself to an overall view. The
short-form auditor’s report will suffice here. However, the long-form report
will, for democratic and transparency reasons, generally also be published.
Although the short-form auditor’s report is serviceable, experience indicates
that users would like a comprehensive report. Thus, the audit opinion
should explicitly cover the fair view, as well as the regularity, and sometimes
even the quality of internal control. These aspects of the supervisory procedure
require distinct types of opinions. In some cases, the auditor’s opinion
about the quality of management assertions is wanted, while in other cases,
the auditor’s opinion about conduct or systems is wanted. Combining these
different types of opinions in one short-form auditor’s report can only end
up confusing the users.
With recent developments in financial reporting in both the private and
government sectors, management is gradually accounting for more than in
the past. Partly because of governance discussions, management assertions
about being in control and about compliance with laws and regulations are
becoming more and more usual. The advantage for auditors and their
reporting is that if such management assertions are to be usual and mandatory
parts of the financial statements, a material shortcoming in control or
Government organizations are income-spending organizations for which apositive bottom line is not the indicator of success. Success needs to bedisplayed in every policy area, and will be measured in various ways.Thus, the supervisory procedure is more complicated than in a privatecompany, making a long-form auditor’s report indispensable in governmentorganizations. Long-form reports provide auditors the opportunityto present information about findings for each policy area. This makes itpossible for legislatures to extend their supervisory function to all areas ofpolicy execution implemented by the executive.This does not imply that a short-form auditor’s report would not beuseful in the government environment. On the contrary, the representativescan use the comprehensive judgment of the auditor when the longformreport may consist of a series of findings that could convey thewrong idea about the overall view. So the auditor’s professional supportcan be very helpful.Moreover, the financial statements are also presented to the public,which does not have to approve and can limit itself to an overall view. Theshort-form auditor’s report will suffice here. However, the long-form reportwill, for democratic and transparency reasons, generally also be published.Although the short-form auditor’s report is serviceable, experience indicatesthat users would like a comprehensive report. Thus, the audit opinionshould explicitly cover the fair view, as well as the regularity, and sometimeseven the quality of internal control. These aspects of the supervisory procedurerequire distinct types of opinions. In some cases, the auditor’s opinionabout the quality of management assertions is wanted, while in other cases,the auditor’s opinion about conduct or systems is wanted. Combining thesedifferent types of opinions in one short-form auditor’s report can only endup confusing the users.With recent developments in financial reporting in both the private andgovernment sectors, management is gradually accounting for more than inthe past. Partly because of governance discussions, management assertionsabout being in control and about compliance with laws and regulations arebecoming more and more usual. The advantage for auditors and theirreporting is that if such management assertions are to be usual and mandatoryparts of the financial statements, a material shortcoming in control or
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