Does accounting information contribute to a better understanding of public assets management? The case of local government infrastructural assets.

Abstract

The authors examine whether the publicly-available accounting information about infrastructural assets and other information in New Zealand local government’s financial statements is helpful for the assessment of investment in infrastructural assets. Their analysis indicates that information on annual net investments for infrastructural assets is useful for understanding the level and type of infrastructural assets investments and how these assets are funded. Further, such investment focuses more on visible infrastructural assets than invisible infrastructural assets. This study contributes to the literature on the reporting and management of public infrastructure assets.