Keeping Good Companies articles from April 2006

Keeping Good Companies archives from April 2006

Cycles of governance.(Key Issues: APPLIED CORPORATE GOVERNANCE)
April 1, 2006... Corporate governance crisis and reform is essentially cyclical. Waves of corporate governance reform and increased regulation occur during periods of recession, corporate collapse and re-examination of the viability of regulatory systems....

Directors must apply their special skills.
April 1, 2006... Regardless of boardroom politics, directors with specialist business skills have a duty to apply those skills for the benefit of the companies they serve and must not abrogate those responsibilities simply because they might 'rock the boat'....

The impacts of AIFRS on Australian companies: a study of the financial statement disclosures by Australia's top 100 listed companies.(Key Issues: COMPANY SECRETARY)(International Financial Reporting Standards)
April 1, 2006... The quantification of the transition to the Australian Equivalents to International Financial Reporting Standards (AIFRS) has finally begun with companies disclosing information about the impact of this transition in their 2005 financial...

Key management personnel disclosures: a little change goes a long way.
April 1, 2006... Reporting of director and executive remuneration and related benefits has been a topic of growing prominence around the world, particularly following the bursting of the dot-com bubble and the notable corporate collapses. While the final form...

Award rationalisation and the award review taskforce--implications for employers.(Entrepreneurs awards)
April 1, 2006... With all the publicity that followed the passage of the Federal Government's WorkChoices legislation, one very important aspect of the changes is just starting to receive more attention. The Federal Government has established the Award...

Solicitors' representation letters and legal professional privilege.(NEWS AND VIEWS)(Westpac Banking Corporation v 789 Ten Pty Limited [2005] NSWCA)
April 1, 2006... The practice of auditors obtaining audit evidence regarding legal matters affecting an entity through a request for a solicitor's representation letter will be questioned by the entity subject to the audit after the New South Wales Court of...

Contractual insurance provisions--risky business.
April 1, 2006... When drafting a contract, there is a vast array of insurance arrangements which may be contemplated, given the particular circumstances of the contract and the insurability of relevant risks under the contract. In drafting insurance...

Recent changes to Victorian land tax.(NEWS AND VIEWS)
April 1, 2006... Victoria has an extensive land tax regime and its impact has recently caused concern in the business community. With the advent of recent increases in the value of land the effect of 'bracket creep' has increased land tax bills to taxpayers....

Powerful Questions[TM] for Company Secretaries, directors and executives.
April 1, 2006... Changes to governance and compliance requirements over the past decade have placed greater demands on boards and executives. One of the consequences of those changes is that the role of the Company Secretary is evolving from an...

Don't jump the gun on pre-emptive clauses!
April 1, 2006... Pre-emptive clauses are very often a matter of 'set and forget'. Many boards and many more shareholders have little familiarity with their company's pre-emptive clauses, let alone how they would work if activated. This is particularly an...

Stopping dirty money--Australia's anti-money laundering reforms.
April 1, 2006... Money laundering has been described as the world's largest occupation, with estimates ranging from between two and five per cent of global gross domestic product. Keeping dirty money out of national and international economies and preventing...

Trade marks--the most valuable intangible asset.
April 1, 2006... The introduction of accounting standard AASB138 and its dealing with internally generated brands, mastheads and publishing titles has increased the awareness of the importance of trade marks in the Australian corporate community. This is...