No. 1 - Implementing Accrual Accounting in Government: The New Zealand Experience

The New Zealand public sector experienced major reform in the late 1980's and early 1990's. This reform changed public sector management from a system based on compliance with detailed and restrictive rules and budget cash limits to a performance and accountability-based regime. This paper focuses on the move by New Zealand government departments from cash to accrual accounting, and the project to produce the first set of Financial Statements for the Government of New Zealand. The paper also attempts to draw out the key management issues in the implementation of full accrual accounting in the national government.