Corporations Act. Australia
(or a service company or trust acting for, or on behalf of, the audit company, or another entity performing a similar function) controls
15
9
a body corporate in which the audit company (or a service company or trust acting for, or on behalf of, the audit company, or another entity performing a similar function) has a substantial holding
15
10
an entity that an officer of the audit company controls or a body corporate in which an officer of the audit company has a substantial holding
16
11
a person who:
(a) is a former officer of the audit company; and
(b) does not satisfy the independence test in subsection (11)
1 and 2
12
a person who:
(a) is a former professional employee of the audit company; and
(b) does not satisfy the independence test in subsection (11)
1 and 2
Maximum hours test
(10) A non‑audit services provider satisfies the maximum hours test in this subsection if:
(a) the number of hours for which the person provides services (other than services related to the conduct of an audit) to the audited body on behalf of the auditor during the period to which the audit relates does not exceed 10 hours; and
(b) the number of hours for which the person provided services (other than services related to the conduct of an audit) to the audited body on behalf of the auditor during the 12 months immediately before the beginning of the period to which the audit relates does not exceed 10 hours.
In a prosecution for an offence based on subsection (1), (2), (5) or (6), the prosecution must prove that the non‑audit services provider did not satisfy the maximum hours test in this subsection.
Independence test
(11) A person satisfies the independence test in this subsection in relation to an audit company if the person:
(a) does not influence the operations or financial policies of the accounting and audit practice conducted by the audit company; and
(b) does not participate, or appear to participate, in the business or professional activities of the accounting and audit practice conducted by the audit company; and
(c) does not have any rights against the audit company in relation to the accounting and audit practice conducted by the audit company in relation to the termination of the person’s former position as an officer of the audit company; and
(d) has no financial arrangements with the audit company in relation to the accounting and audit practice conducted by the audit company, other than:
(i) an arrangement providing for regular payments of a fixed pre‑determined dollar amount which is not dependent, directly or indirectly, on the revenues, profits or earnings of the audit company; or
(ii) an arrangement providing for regular payments of a dollar amount where the method of calculating the dollar amount is fixed and is not dependent, directly or indirectly, on the revenues, profits or earnings of the audit company; and
(e) without limiting paragraph (d), has no financial arrangement with the audit company to receive a commission or similar payment in relation to business generated by the person for the accounting and audit practice conducted by the audit company.
In a prosecution for an offence based on subsection (1), (2), (5) or (6), the prosecution must prove that the person did not satisfy the independence test in this subsection in relation to the audit company.
(12) In applying subsection (11), disregard any rights that the person has against the audit company by way of an indemnity for, or contribution in relation to, liabilities incurred by the person when the person was an officer or employee of the audit company.
324CH Relevant relationships
Table of relevant relationships
(1) The following table lists the relationships between:
(a) a person or a firm; and
(b) the audited body for an audit;
that are relevant for the purposes of sections 324CE, 324CF and 324CG:
Relevant relationships
Item
This item applies to a person (or, if applicable, to a firm) at a particular time if at that time the person (or firm)…
1
is an officer of the audited body
This item does not apply if the audited body is a small proprietary company for the relevant financial year.
2
is an audit‑critical employee of the audited body
This item does not apply if the audited body is a small proprietary company for the relevant financial year.
3
is a partner of:
(a) an officer of the audited body; or
(b) an audit‑critical employee of the audited body
This item does not apply if the audited body is a small proprietary company for the relevant financial year.
4
is an employer of:
(a) an officer of the audited body; or
(b) an audit‑critical employee of the audited body
This item does not apply if the audited body is a small proprietary company for the relevant financial year.
5
is an employee of:
(a) an officer of the audited body; or
(b) an audit‑critical employee of the audited body
This item does not apply if the audited body is a small proprietary company for the relevant financial year.
6
is a partner or employee of an employee of:
(a) an officer of the company; or
(b) an audit‑critical employee of the company
This item does not apply if the audited body is a small proprietary company for the relevant financial year.
7
provides remuneration to:
(a) an officer of the audited body; or
(b) an audit‑critical employee of the audited body;
for acting as a consultant to the person
This item does not apply if the audited body is a small proprietary company for the relevant financial year.
8
was an officer of the audited body at any time during:
(a) the period to which the audit relates; or
(b) the 12 months