Audit Reports in Australia during the Global Financial Crisis

Abstract

The Global Financial Crisis reduced economic growth, impacted equity and credit markets, and increased business risk. To the extent that this increased risk translates into greater uncertainty of companies' ability to continue as going concerns, this should be reflected in audit reports. This paper investigates how the crisis impacted auditor reporting in Australia by examining the period 2005-2009. It finds that the main reason for audit report modification is going concern and that modification rates increased from 12% in 2005-2007 to 18% in 2008 and 22% in 2009. Serious audit report qualification rates remain around 3%.