Report of the Auditor-General
To the readers of the Financial Statements of the Ministry of Economic Development for the year ended 30 June 2003
We have audited the financial statements on the following pages. The financial statements provide information about the past financial and service performance of the Ministry of Economic Development and its financial position as at 30 June 2003. This information is stated in accordance with the accounting policies set out on Statement of Accounting Policies.
Responsibilities of the Chief Executive
The Public Finance Act 1989 requires the Chief Executive to prepare financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting practice in New Zealand that fairly reflect the financial position of the Ministry of Economic Development as at 30 June 2003, the results of its operations and cash flows and the service performance achievements for the year ended on that date.
Auditor's Responsibilities
Section 15 of the Public Audit Act 2001 and section 38(1) of the Public Finance Act 1989 require the Auditor-General to audit the financial statements presented by the Chief Executive. It is the responsibility of the Auditor-General to express an independent opinion on the financial statements and report that opinion to you.
The Controller and Auditor-General has appointed A J Shaw, of Audit New Zealand, to undertake the audit.
Basis of Opinion
An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence relevant to the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. It also includes assessing:
- the significant estimates and judgements made by the Chief Executive in the preparation of the financial statements; and
- whether the accounting policies are appropriate to the Ministry of Economic Development’s circumstances, consistently applied and adequately disclosed.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the Auditing Standards published by the Auditor-General, which incorporate the Auditing Standards issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand. We planned and performed our audit so as to obtain all the information and explanations which we considered necessary in order to provide us with sufficient evidence to give reasonable assurance that the financial statements are free from material misstatements, whether caused by fraud or error. In forming our opinion, we also evaluated the overall adequacy of the presentation of information in the financial statements.
We have carried out an assurance related assignment for the Ministry of Economic Development in the area of taxation compliance. Other than this assignment and in our capacity as auditor acting on behalf of the Auditor-General, we have no relationship with or interests in the Ministry of Economic Development.
Unqualified Opinion
We have obtained all the information and explanations we have required.
In our opinion the financial statements of the Ministry of Economic Development on the following pages:
- comply with generally accepted accounting practice; and
- fairly reflect:
- the Ministry of Economic Development’s financial position as at 30 June 2003;
- the results of its operations and cash flows for the year ended on that date; and
- the service performance achievements in relation to the performance targets and other measures set out in the forecast financial statements for the year ended on that date.
Our audit was completed on 30 September 2003 and our unqualified opinion is expressed as at that date.
A J Shaw
Audit New Zealand
On behalf of the Auditor-General Wellington,
New Zealand
Matters Relating to the Electronic Presentation of the Audited Financial Statements
This audit report relates to the financial statements of the Ministry of Economic Development for the year ended 30 June 2003 included on the Ministry of Economic Development’s website. The Chief Executive is responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the Ministry of Economic Development’s website. We have not been engaged to report on the integrity of the Ministry of Economic Development’s web site. We accept no responsibility for any changes that may have occurred to the financial statements since they were initially presented on the web site.
We have not been engaged to report on any other electronic versions of the Ministry of Economic Development’s financial statements, and accept no responsibility for any changes that may have occurred to electronic versions of the financial statements published on other websites and/or published by other electronic means.
The audit report refers only to the financial statements named above. It does not provide an opinion on any other information which may have been hyperlinked to/from these financial statements. If readers of this report are concerned with the inherent risks arising from electronic data communication they should refer to the published hard copy of the audited financial statements and related audit report dated 30 September 2003 to confirm the information included in the audited financial statements presented on this web site.
Legislation in New Zealand governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
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