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Consequences and Costs of Financial Reporting Compliance for Local Government

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  • Robyn Pilcher
  • Graeme Dean

Abstract

Local governments are continuously being subjected to changing legislation in regard to reporting requirements. Results of this research indicate that the amount of time allocated to complying with external reporting requirements was often considered excessive and not always relevant - detracting from the 'doing'. It was also revealed that the bottom line is perceived to be the most important indicator of a council's performance by stakeholders. From this, several implications emerge - including the potential for manipulation of accounting figures to achieve a target operating result. Another includes councils losing their original identity as service providers to the community. Hence, financial, political and social costs appear to be associated with continually changing financial reporting requirements imposed on local government. Future research proposes to take the derived questionnaire used here to other countries in order to determine whether data prepared using financial accounting standards (like the International Financial Reporting Standards) distort the information used by the various council decision makers.

Suggested Citation

  • Robyn Pilcher & Graeme Dean, 2009. "Consequences and Costs of Financial Reporting Compliance for Local Government," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(4), pages 725-744.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:euract:v:18:y:2009:i:4:p:725-744
    DOI: 10.1080/09638180903334978
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    Cited by:

    1. Mirna Amirya, 2019. "What Drives the Institutionalization of Performance Measurement Systems in Indonesian Local Government?," GATR Journals jber166, Global Academy of Training and Research (GATR) Enterprise.
    2. Enrico Bracci & Mouhcine Tallaki, 2013. "Socio-environmental reporting trends in the Italian local government: Thrive or wither?," FINANCIAL REPORTING, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2013(2), pages 27-46.
    3. Kathryn Trewavas & Nives Botica Redmayne & Fawzi Laswad, 2012. "The Impact of IFRS Adoption on Public Sector Financial Statements," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 22(1), pages 86-102, March.
    4. Eichfelder, Sebastian, 2013. "Compliance cost estimates: Survey non-response and temporal framing effects," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 146, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    5. Fawzi Laswad & Nives Botica Redmayne, 2015. "IPSAS or IFRS as the Framework for Public Sector Financial Reporting? New Zealand Preparers’ Perspectives," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 25(2), pages 175-184, June.
    6. Williams, Belinda & Wilmshurst, Trevor & Clift, Robert, 2011. "Sustainability reporting by local government in Australia: Current and future prospects," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 176-186.

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