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Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2008

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Part 5: Non-departmental statements and schedules (continued)

Notes to the non-departmental financial statements

Note1: Statement of accounting policies for the year ended 30 June 2008

Reporting entity

These non-departmental schedules and statements present financial information on public funds managed by the Ministry on behalf of the Crown.

These non-departmental balances are consolidated into the Financial Statements of the Government. For a full understanding of the Crown’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the year, reference should also be made to the Financial Statements of the Government.

Accounting policies

The non-departmental schedules and statements have been prepared in accordance with the Government’s accounting policies as set out in the Financial Statements of the Government, and in accordance with relevant Treasury Instruments and Treasury Circulars.

Measurement and recognition rules applied in the preparation of these non-departmental schedules and statements are consistent with New Zealand generally accepted accounting practice as appropriate for public benefit entities. Reference should be made to the accounting policies, contained in note one to the departmental financial statements.

The following particular accounting polices have been applied.

Foreign exchange

Foreign currency transactions are translated into New Zealand dollars using the exchange rates prevailing at the dates of the transactions. Foreign exchange gains and losses resulting from the settlement of such transactions and from the translation at year-end exchange rates of monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are recognised in the schedule of non-departmental income or expenses.

Goods and services tax

All items in the financial statements, including appropriation statements, are stated exclusive of GST, except for receivables and payables, which are stated on GST inclusive basis. In accordance with Treasury instructions, GST is returned on revenue received on behalf of the Crown, where applicable. However, an input tax deduction is not claimed on non-departmental expenditure. Instead, the amount of GST applicable to non-departmental expenditure is recognised as a separate expense and eliminated against GST revenue on consolidation of the government financial statements.

Accounting for derivative financial instruments, hedging activities and foreign currency transactions

The Ministry uses derivative financial instruments to hedge exposure to foreign exchange. In accordance with its Foreign-Exchange policy, the Ministry does not hold or issue derivative financial instruments for trading purposes. The Ministry has not adopted hedge accounting.

Derivatives are initially recognised at fair value on the date a derivative contract is entered into and are subsequently remeasured at their fair value at each balance date. Movements in the fair value of derivative financial instruments are recognised in the schedule of non-departmental income or schedule of non-departmental expenses, as appropriate.

Foreign currency transactions (including those for which forward exchange contracts are held) are translated into New Zealand dollars using the exchange rates prevailing at the dates of the transactions. Foreign exchange gains and losses resulting from the settlement of such transactions and from the translation at year-end exchange rates of monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are recognised in the schedule of non-departmental income or schedule of non-departmental expenses, as appropriate.

Note 2: Debtors and other receivables

  Actual
2007
$000
Actual
2008
$000
Balance at 1 July
6,723 724
Additional provisions made during the year
- -
Receivables written off during period
- -
Balance at 30 June 6,723 724

The carrying value of debtors and other receivables approximates their fair value.

 
2007
2008
  Gross Impairment Net Gross Impairment Net
Not past due 1,662 - 1,662 658 - 658
Past due 1-90 days 243 - 243 66 - 66
Past due 90-180 days 1,718 - 1,718 - - -
Past due 180-360 days 3,100 - 3,100 - - -
Past due > 360 days - - - - - -
Total 6,723 - 6,723 724 - 724

Note 3: Creditors and other payables

  Actual
2007
$000
Actual
2008
$000
Creditors
21,815 1,114
Total creditors and other payables 21,815 1,114

Creditors and other payables are non-interest bearing and are normally settled on 30-day terms, therefore the carrying value of creditors and other payables approximates their fair value.

Note 4: Explanation of major variances against budget

There are no significant variances to budget.

Note 5: Financial instruments risks

The Ministry's activities expose it to a variety of financial instrument risks, including market risk, credit risk and liquidity risk. The Ministry has a series of policies to manage the risks associated with financial instruments and seeks to minimise exposure from financial instruments. These policies do not allow any transactions that are speculative in nature to be entered into.

Market risk

Currency risk

Currency risk is the risk that the fair value or future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate because of changes in foreign exchange rates.

The Ministry purchases capital equipment internationally and is exposed to currency risk arising from various currency exposures, primarily with respect to the United States, Canadian and Australian dollars and Euro. Currency risk arises from future capital purchases and recognised liabilities, which are denominated in a foreign currency.

The Ministry's foreign exchange management policy requires the Ministry to manage currency risk arising from future transactions and recognised liabilities by entering into foreign exchange forward contracts to hedge the entire foreign currency risk exposure. The Ministry's policy has been approved by the Treasury and is in accordance with the requirements of the Treasury Guidelines for the Management of Crown and Departmental Foreign-Exchange Exposure.

Interest rate risk

Interest rate risk is the risk that the fair value of a financial instrument will fluctuate or, the cash flows from a financial instrument will fluctuate, due to changes in market interest rates.

The Ministry has no interest bearing financial instruments and, accordingly, has no exposure to interest rate risk.

Credit risk

Credit risk is the risk that a third party will default on its obligation to the Ministry, causing the Ministry to incur a loss.

In the normal course of its business, credit risk arises from debtors, deposits with banks and derivative financial instrument assets.

The Ministry is only permitted to deposit funds and enter into foreign exchange forward contracts with approved counterparties. These entities have high credit ratings. For its other financial instruments, the Ministry does not have significant concentrations of credit risk.

The Ministry's maximum credit exposure for each class of financial instrument is represented by the total carrying amount of cash and cash equivalents, net debtors, and derivative financial instrument assets. There is no collateral held as security against these financial instruments, including those instruments that are overdue or impaired.

Sensitivity analysis - Cash and cash equivalents

If the NZ dollar strengthened by 5% against the major currencies held with all other variables held constant, the unrealised gain for the year would have been $4.152 million lower. Conversely, if the NZ dollar weakened by 5% against all hedged currencies with all other variables held constant, the unrealised gain for the year would have been $4.589 million higher.

Decrease in gain if NZ dollar strengthened by 5% ($000)

AUD 369
CAD 52
EUR 533
USD 3,198
  4,152

Increase in gain if NZ dollar weakened by 5% ($000)

AUD 408
CAD 58
EUR 589
USD 3,534
  4,589

Sensitivity analysis - Derivatives

At 30 June 2008, if the NZ dollar strengthened by 5% against all the hedged currencies with all other variables held constant, the unrealised loss for the year would have been $22.357 million lower. Conversely, if the NZ dollar weakened by 5% against all the hedged currencies with all other variables held constant, the unrealised loss for the year would have been $24.710 million higher. The movements are a result of the exchange losses on translation of overseas currencies.

Liquidity risk

Liquidity risk is the risk that the Ministry will encounter difficulty raising liquid funds to meet commitments as they fall due.

In meeting its liquidity requirements, the Ministry closely monitors its forecast cash requirements with expected cash drawdowns from the New Zealand Debt Management Office. The Ministry maintains a target level of available cash to meet liquidity requirements.

The table below analyses the Ministry's financial instruments that will be settled based on the remaining period at the balance sheet date to the contractual maturity date. The amounts disclosed are the contractual undiscounted cash flows.

  Less than 6 months


$000
Between 6 months and
1 year
$000
Between 1 year and
5 years
$000
Over
5 years


$000
Total



$000
Assets
Current assets

         
Cash and cash equivalents 114,819 - - - 114,819
Debtors and other receivables 724 - - - 724
Derivative financial instruments 175,530 - - - 175,530

Total current assets

291,073 - - - 291,073
Non-current assets
         
Derivative financial instruments - - 320,275 - 320,275
Total non-current liabilities - - 320,275 - 320,275
Total assets 291,073 - 320,275 - 611,348
Liabilities
Current liabilities

         
Creditors and other payables 1,114 - - - 1,114
Derivative financial instruments 179,994 - - - 179,994

Total current liabilities

181,108 - - - 181,108
Non-current liabilities
         
Derivative financial instruments - - 334,765 - 334,765
Total non-current liabilities - - 334,765 - 334,765
Total liabilities 181,108 - 334,765 - 515,873
Net liquidity of continuing operations 109,965 - (14,490) - 95,475

Note 6: Categories of financial instruments

  Actual
2007
$000
Actual
2008
$000
Loans and receivables
   
Cash and cash equivalents 210,407 114,819
Debtors and other receivables (note 2)
6,723 724
Total loans and receivables 217,130 115,543
Fair value through profit and loss - designated as such upon initial recognition
   
Derivative financial instruments assets - 1,654
Derivative financial instruments liabilities
75,361 20,609
Financial liabilities measured at amortised cost
   
Creditors and other payables (note 3) 21,815 1,114

Note 7: Derivative financial instruments

The notional principal amounts of outstanding forward exchange contracts at 30 June 2008 were EUR $227,896,406

The fair value of forward exchange contracts has been determined using a discounted cash flows valuation technique based on quoted market rates.

Note 8: Explanation of transition to NZ IFRS

Reconciliation of assets and liabilities

There has been one adjustment to non-departmental recognised assets and liabilities on transition to NZ IFRS, as outlined below.

Reconciliation of equity funds – Non-Department

    Previous NZ GAAP
1 July 2006
Effect on transition to NZ IFRS
1 July 2006
NZ IFRS
1 July 2006
Previous NZ GAAP
30 June 2007
Effect on transition to NZ IFRS
30 June 2007
NZ IFRS
30 June 2007
  Note $000 $000 $000 $000 $000 $000
Assets
administered on behalf of the Minister of Defence
             
Cash and cash equivalents   201,278 - 201,278 210,407 - 210,407
Debtors and receivables   1,232 - 1,232 6,723 - 6,723
Work in progress a, c 185,484 (26,825) 158,659 146,004 (12,245) 133,759
Financial derivatives in gain b - 16,697 16,697      
Total assets administered on behalf of the Minister of Defence   387,994 (10,128) 377,866 363,134 (12,245) 350,889
Liabilities administered on behalf of the Minister of Defence
             
Creditors and payables   1,787 - 1,787 21,815 - 21,815
Financial derivatives in loss b - 40 40 - 75,361 75,361
Total liabilities administered on behalf of the Minister of Defence   1,787 40 1,827 21,815 75,361 97,176
Taxpayers' funds a, b, c 386,207 (10,168) 376,039 341,319 (87,606) 253,713

a. Work in progress

Under previous NZ GAAP the Ministry accounted for future capital purchases that were hedged with forward exchange contracts in accordance with SSAP-21 Accounting for the Effects of Changes in Foreign Currency Exchange Rates. Where an entity is not hedge accounting, NZ IFRS requires work in progress to be recorded at the spot rate at initial recognition. The Ministry has elected to not adopt hedge accounting under NZ IFRS, and the impact of this adjustment has been a reduction in the carrying amount of work in progress at 30 June 2007 of $7,600,000.

b. Derivative financial instruments

Derivatives were not recognised in the statement of financial position under previous NZ GAAP. NZ IFRS requires derivatives to be recognised in the statement of financial position at their fair value.

c. Cash flow hedge reserve

Under previous NZ GAAP the Ministry accounted for forward foreign exchange contracts in accordance with the hedging requirements of SSAP-21 Accounting for the Effects of Changes in Foreign Currency Exchange Rates. In accordance with the transitional provisions of NZ IFRS 1, where an entity was hedge accounting under previous NZ GAAP, the unrealised gains or losses on forward exchange contracts held at the date of transition in relation to future capital purchases expected to occur are recognised in a cash flow hedge reserve within equity. Cash flow hedge reserve balances will be transferred to the carrying amount of property, plant and equipment at their initial recognition. Fair value movements of forward exchange contracts subsequent to the date of transition to NZ IFRS are recognised in the schedule of non-departmental income or schedule of non-departmental expenses, as appropriate.

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