(b) continuous auditing; (5 marks)

One of your audit clients is Tye Co a company providing petrol, aviation fuel and similar oil based products to the government of the country it is based in. Although the company is not listed on any stock exchange, it does follow best practice regarding corporate governance regulations. The audit work for this year is complete, apart from the matter referred to below.

As part of Tye Co’s service contract with the government, it is required to hold an emergency inventory reserve of 6,000 barrels of aviation fuel. The inventory is to be used if the supply of aviation fuel is interrupted due to unforeseen events such as natural disaster or terrorist activity.

This fuel has in the past been valued at its cost price of $15 a barrel. The current value of aviation fuel is $120 a barrel. Although the audit work is complete, as noted above, the directors of Tye Co have now decided to show the ‘real’ value of this closing inventory in the financial statements by valuing closing inventory of fuel at market value, which does not comply with relevant accounting standards. The draft financial statements of Tye Co currently show a profit of approximately $500,000 with net assets of $170 million.

Required:

(a) List the audit procedures and actions that you should now take in respect of the above matter. (6 marks)

(b) For the purposes of this section assume from part (a) that the directors have agreed to value inventory at

$15/barrel.

Having investigated the matter in part (a) above, the directors present you with an amended set of financial

statements showing the emergency reserve stated not at 6,000 barrels, but reported as 60,000 barrels. The final financial statements now show a profit following the inclusion of another 54,000 barrels of oil in inventory. When queried about the change from 6,000 to 60,000 barrels of inventory, the finance director stated that this change was made to meet expected amendments to emergency reserve requirements to be published in about six months time. The inventory will be purchased this year, and no liability will be shown in the financial statements for this future purchase. The finance director also pointed out that part of Tye Co’s contract with the government requires Tye Co to disclose an annual profit and that a review of bank loans is due in three months. Finally the finance director stated that if your audit firm qualifies the financial statements in respect of the increase in inventory, they will not be recommended for re-appointment at the annual general meeting. The finance director refuses to amend the financial statements to remove this ‘fictitious’ inventory.

Required:

(i) State the external auditor’s responsibilities regarding the detection of fraud; (4 marks)

(ii) Discuss to which groups the auditors of Tye Co could report the ‘fictitious’ aviation fuel inventory;

(6 marks)

(iii) Discuss the safeguards that the auditors of Tye Co can use in an attempt to overcome the intimidation

threat from the directors of Tye Co. (4 marks)

Discuss the principles and practices which should be used in the financial year to 30 November 2008 to account

for:(c) the purchase of handsets and the recognition of revenue from customers and dealers. (8 marks)

Appropriateness and quality of discussion. (2 marks)

(b) Historically, all owned premises have been measured at cost depreciated over 10 to 50 years. The management

board has decided to revalue these premises for the year ended 30 September 2005. At the balance sheet date

two properties had been revalued by a total of $1·7 million. Another 15 properties have since been revalued by

$5·4 million and there remain a further three properties which are expected to be revalued during 2006. A

revaluation surplus of $7·1 million has been credited to equity. (7 marks)

Required:

For each of the above issues:

(i) comment on the matters that you should consider; and

(ii) state the audit evidence that you should expect to find,

in undertaking your review of the audit working papers and financial statements of Albreda Co for the year ended

30 September 2005.

NOTE: The mark allocation is shown against each of the three issues.

(c) Maxwell Co is audited by Lead & Co, a firm of Chartered Certified Accountants. Leo Sabat has enquired as to

whether your firm would be prepared to conduct a joint audit in cooperation with Lead & Co, on the future

financial statements of Maxwell Co if the acquisition goes ahead. Leo Sabat thinks that this would enable your

firm to improve group audit efficiency, without losing the cumulative experience that Lead & Co has built up while

acting as auditor to Maxwell Co.

Required:

Define ‘joint audit’, and assess the advantages and disadvantages of the audit of Maxwell Co being conducted

on a ‘joint basis’. (7 marks)