Accrual Accounting For the Public Sector - A Fad That Has Had Its Day?

Andy Wynne

andywynne@lineone.net

For the last decade accrual accounting has been presented as the reform for public sector accounting and the basis for the wider New Public Management reforms and the marketisation of the public sector (Barton 2005, Ellwood and Newberry 2007, Ouda 2004 & 2005, Wynne 2007, etc). However, it is becoming increasingly clear that the claimed benefits of introducing accrual accounting are not being realised in practice. In the few countries which have actually adopted this reform, for example, Australia New Zealand and the UK, the evidence is now suggesting that, if their governments’ knew then what they know now, that the move to accrual accounting may never have taken place (Dorotinsky, 2008).

Wynne Accrual Accounting for the Public Sector - A Fad That Has Had Its Day

Publish at Scribd or explore others: United Nations Government accountability PFM