RISTEC

In reply to Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (28 July 2015). (Estimates Committee A)

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy):

The Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF) has an Asset Purchase, Disposal and Reporting Policy as well as a Software Capitalisation Procedure which provide guidance to all staff in determining the appropriate treatment of expenditure related to the development and implementation of assets including software and information technology systems. DTF advises these two corporate documents are based on, and are consistent with the Australian Accounting Standards and the whole of government Accounting Policy Framework.

All expenditure in relation to RISTEC has been classified as either investing or operating expenditure based on the Australian Accounting Standards and the whole of government Accounting Policy Framework. In general:

Operating expenses reflect a decrease in economic benefits during the accounting period in the form of outflows or depletion of assets, or incurrence of liabilities that result in decreases of equity other than those relating to distributions to owners.

Investment expenses comprise projects and programs that result in the capitalisation of assets on the balance sheet. They include the acquisition and construction of, or addition to non-current asset, including property, plant and equipment and other productive assets.

Specific issues are determined with reference to accounting standards.