Annual Report 2016-17

Responsibilities of the council for the financial report
The council is responsible for the preparation of the financial report that gives a true and fair
view in accordance with the Local Government Act 2009, the Local Government Regulation
2012 and Australian Accounting Standards, and for such internal control as the council
determines is necessary to enable the preparation of the financial report that is free from
material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
The council is also responsible for assessing the council's ability to continue as a going
concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters relating to going concern and using the going
concern basis of accounting unless it is intended to abolish the council or to otherwise cease
operations.
Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial report
My objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial report as a
whole is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an
auditor's report that includes my opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance,
but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with the Australian Auditing
Standards will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise
from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in aggregate, they could
reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of
this financial report.
As part of an audit in accordance with the Australian Auditing Standards, I exercise
professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. I also:
•     Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial report, whether
      due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks,
      and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for my
      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.
•    Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit
     procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for expressing an opinion
     on the effectiveness of the council's internal control.
•    Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of
     accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the council.
•    Conclude on the appropriateness of the council's 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 council's
     ability to continue as a going concern. If I conclude that a material uncertainty exists, I
     am required to draw attention in my auditor's report to the related disclosures in the
     financial report or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify my opinion. I base my
     conclusions on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of my auditor's report.
     However, future events or conditions may cause the council to cease to continue as a
     going concern.
•     Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial report, including
     .the disclosures, and whether the financial report represents the underlying transactions
      and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
I communicate with the council regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing
of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal
control that I identify during my audit.