Question

Identify the roles of different regulators and organizations that affect the audit process?

Answer 1

Identifies and assesses the risks of material misstatement of the entity’s (or where relevant, the consolidated) financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, designs and performs audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtains audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for the auditor’s opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.

Obtains an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity’s (or where relevant, the group’s) internal control.

Evaluates the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the directors.

Concludes on the appropriateness of the directors’ use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the entity’s (or where relevant, the group’s) ability to continue as a going concern. If the auditor concludes that a material uncertainty exists, the auditor is required to draw attention in the auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify the auditor’s opinion. The auditor’s conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of the auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the entity (or where relevant, the group) to cease to continue as a going concern.

Evaluates the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation (i.e gives a true and fair view).1

Where the auditor is required to report on consolidated financial statements, obtains sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the financial information of the entities or business activities within the group to express an opinion on the consolidated financial statements. The group auditor is responsible for the direction, supervision and performance of the group audit. The group auditor remains solely responsible for the audit opinion.

Where the auditor is required to report on key audit matters, from the matters communicated with those charged with governance, the auditor determines those matters that were of most significance in the audit of the financial statements of the current period and are therefore the key audit matters. The auditor describes these matters in the auditor’s report unless law or regulation precludes public disclosure about the matter or when, in extremely rare circumstances, the auditor determines that a matter should not be communicated in the auditor’s report because the adverse consequences of doing so would reasonably be expected to outweigh the public interest benefits of such communication.