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Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities Annual Report 2011-12

Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, 2012
ISSN 1441-9335

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• Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
• Natural Heritage Trust of Australia

Independent Auditor's Report

To the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities

Report on the Financial Statements

I have audited the accompanying financial statements of the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Commmunities for the year ended 30 June 2012, which comprise: a Statement by the Secretary and Chief Finance Officer; Statement of Comprehensive Income; Balance Sheet; Statement of Changes in Equity; Cash Flow Statement; Schedule of Commitments; Schedule of Contingencies; Administered Schedule of Comprehensive Assets and Liabilities; Administered Reconciliation Schedule; Administered Cash Flow Statement; Schedule of Administered Commitments; and Notes comprising a Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and other explanatory information.

Secretary's Responsibility for the Financial Statements

The Secretary of the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Commmunities is responsible for the preparation of financial statements that give a true and fair view in accordance with the Finance Minister's Orders made under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997, including the Australian Accounting Standards, and for such internal control as is necessary to enable the preparation of the financial statements that give a true and fair view and are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

Auditor's responsibility

My responsibility is to express an opinion on the financial statements based on my audit. I have conducted my audit in accordance with the Australian National Audit Office Auditing Standards, which incorporate the Australian Auditing Standards. These auditing standards require that I comply with relevant ethical requirements relating to audit engagements and plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement.

An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial statemtents. The procedures selected depend on the auditor's judgement, including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities' preparation of the financial statements that give a true and fair view 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 Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities internal control. An audit alos includes evaluating the appropriateness of the accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates made by the Secretary of the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements.

I believe that the audit evidence that I have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for my audit opinion.

Independence

In conducting my audit, I have followed the independence requirements of the Australian National Audit Office, which incorporate the requirements of the Australian accounting profession.

Opinion

In my opinion, the financial statements of the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities:

1. have been prepared in accordance with the Finance Minister's Orders made under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997, including the Australian Accounting Standards; and
2. give a true and fair view of the matters required by the Finance Minister's Orders including the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities' financial position as at 30 June 2012 and of its financial performance and cash flows for the year then ended

Australian National Audit Office

John Jones
Executive Director

Delegate of the Auditor General

Canberra

30 August 2012

Independent Auditor's Report

To the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities

Report on the Financial Statements

I have audited the accompanying financial statements of the Natural Heritage Trust of Australia Account (the Trust) for the year ended 30 June 2012, which comprise: a Statement by the Secretary and Chief Finance Officer; Statement of Comprehensive Income; Balance Sheet; Statement of Changes in Equity; Cash Flow Statement; Schedule of Commitments; and Notes comprising a Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and other explanatory information.

Secretary's Responsibility for the Financial Statements

The Secretary of the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Commmunities is responsible for the preparation of financial statements that give a true and fair view in accordance with the Finance Minister's Orders made under the Natural Heritage Trust of Australia Act 1997, including the Australian Accounting Standards, and for such internal control as is necessary to enable the preparation of the financial statements that give a true and fair view and are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

Auditor's responsibility

My responsibility is to express an opinion on the financial statements based on my audit. I have conducted my audit in accordance with the Australian National Audit Office Auditing Standards, which incorporate the Australian Auditing Standards. These auditing standards require that I comply with relevant ethical requirements relating to audit engagements and plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement.

An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial statemtents. The procedures selected depend on the auditor's judgement, including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the Trust's preparation of the financial statements that give a true and fair view 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 Trust's internal control. An audit alos includes evaluating the appropriateness of the accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates made by the Secretary of the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements.

I believe that the audit evidence that I have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for my audit opinion.

Independence

In conducting my audit, I have followed the independence requirements of the Australian National Audit Office, which incorporate the requirements of the Australian accounting profession.

Opinion

In my opinion, the financial statements of the Natural Heritage Trust of Australia Account:

1. have been prepared in accordance with the Finance Minister's Orders made under the Natural Heritage Trust of Australia Act 1997, including the Australian Accounting Standards; and
2. give a true and fair view of the matters required by the Finance Minister's Orders including the Trust's financial position as at 30 June 2012 and of its financial performance and cash flows for the year then ended

Australian National Audit Office

John Jones
Executive Director

Delegate of the Auditor General

Canberra

30 August 2012

• Contents
  • Letter of transmittal
  • Guide to the Annual Report
  • Executive summary
  • Outcome 1: Biodiversity and ecosystems
  • Outcome 2: Sustainable population and communities
  • Outcome 3: Antarctica
  • Outcome 4: Sustainable water
  • Outcome 5: Environment protection and heritage conservation
  • Corporate Outcome: Sustainable performance
  • Appendices
  • Financial Statements
  • Glossary of terms, abbreviations and acronyms
  • List of Requirements

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