Accounting policy developments

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Accounting policy developments

Accounting policy developments

Accounting policy developments

(a)Initial application of standards, interpretations and amendments to standards and interpretations

In August 2020, the International Accounting Standards Board issued Interest Rate Benchmark Reform—Phase 2, which amends IFRS 9 Financial Instruments, IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement, IFRS 7 Financial Instruments: Disclosures, IFRS 4 Insurance Contracts and IFRS 16 Leases. The amendments are effective for periods beginning on or after January 1, 2021. Interest rate benchmarks such as interbank offer rates (IBORs) play an important role in global financial markets as they index a wide variety of financial products, including derivative financial instruments. Market developments have impacted the reliability of some existing benchmarks and, in this context, the Financial Stability Board has published a report setting out recommendations to reform such benchmarks. The Interest Rate Benchmark Reform—Phase 2 amendments focus on the effects of the interest rate benchmark reform on a company’s financial statements that arise when an interest rate benchmark used to calculate interest is replaced with an alternative benchmark rate; most significantly, there will be no requirement to derecognize or adjust the amount of financial instruments for changes required by the reform, but will instead update the effective interest rate to reflect the change to the alternative benchmark rate. The effects of these amendments on our financial performance and disclosure will be dependent upon the facts and circumstances of future changes in the derivative financial instruments we use, if any, and any future changes in interest rate benchmarks, if any, referenced by such derivative financial instruments we use.

(b)Standards, interpretations and amendments to standards not yet effective and not yet applied

In February 2021, the International Accounting Standards Board issued narrow-scope amendments to IAS 1, Presentation of Financial Statements, IFRS Practice Statement 2, Making Materiality Judgements and IAS 8, Accounting Polices, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors. The amendments are effective for annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2023, although earlier application is permitted. The amendments will require the disclosure of material accounting policy information rather than disclosing significant accounting policies and clarifies how to distinguish changes in accounting policies from changes in accounting estimates. We are currently assessing the impacts of the amended standards, but do not expect that our financial disclosure will be materially affected by the application of the amendments.

In May 2021, the International Accounting Standards Board issued targeted amendments to IAS 12, Income Taxes. The amendments are effective for annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2023, although earlier application is permitted. With a view to reducing diversity in reporting, the amendments will clarify that companies are required to recognize deferred taxes on transactions where both assets and liabilities are recognized, such as with leases and asset retirement (decommissioning) obligations. Based upon our current facts and circumstances, we do not expect our financial performance or disclosure to be materially affected by the application of the amended standard.