Post withdrawal of AASB 1031, would this harmonise/bring uniformity to auditors’ assessment of materiality misstatements or would this bring disparity to auditors’ assessment of misstatements? What other influence this would bring to the auditors’ judgment on misstatements?

In February 2012, the Australian Accounting Standards Boards decided at its meeting to propose the withdrawal of AASB 1031 Materiality. There were several reasons for this proposal which includes: there is no International Reporting Standard equivalent and it does not look like there will be, since 2005 there has been the gradual withdrawal of additional Australian guidance from a number of Australian Accounting Standards, and there is now an updated guidance on materiality in the IASB Conceptual Framework.

The major impact of the withdrawal of AASB 1031 is the removal of the specific quantitative guidance for materiality. The withdrawal of AASB 1031 became effective to annual reporting beginning on or after 1 July 2015

REQUIRED:

Post withdrawal of AASB 1031, would this harmonise/bring uniformity to auditors’ assessment of materiality misstatements or would this bring disparity to auditors’ assessment of misstatements? What other influence this would bring to the auditors’ judgment on misstatements? Discuss your answer and rationale. (Support your answers with the relevant Australian Accounting Standards and Australian Auditing Standards as well as published Peer-reviewed Academic Journals and Articles.)