Telstra 2015 Annual Report Download - page 79

Telstra Corporation Limited and controlled entities 77
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 1. BASIS OF PREPARATION
_Telstra Financial Report 2015
In this financial report, we, us, our, Telstra, the Telstra Group and
the Group all mean Telstra Corporation Limited, an Australian
corporation and its controlled entities as a whole. Telstra Entity is
the legal entity, Telstra Corporation Limited. Telstra Entity, the
Company, is a company limited by shares incorporated in
Australia whose shares are publicly traded on the Australian
Securities Exchange.
Our financial year ends on 30 June. Unless we state differently, the
following applies:
• year or financial year means the year ended 30 June
• reporting date means 30 June
• 2015 means financial year 2015 and similarly for other financial
years.
The financial report of the Telstra Group for the year ended 30
June 2015 was authorised for issue in accordance with a
resolution of the Telstra Board of Directors on 13 August 2015. The
Directors have the power to amend and reissue the financial
report.
The principal accounting policies used in preparing the financial
report of the Telstra Group are set out in note 2 to our financial
statements.
1.1 Basis of preparation of the financial report
This financial report is a general purpose financial report,
prepared by a for-profit entity, in accordance with the
requirements of the Australian Corporations Act 2001, Accounting
Standards applicable in Australia and other authoritative
pronouncements of the Australian Accounting Standards Board
(AASB). This financial report also complies with International
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and Interpretations
published by the International Accounting Standards Board
(IASB).
Both the functional and presentation currency of the Telstra Entity
and its Australian controlled entities is Australian dollars. The
functional currency of certain non Australian controlled entities is
not Australian dollars. As a result, the results of these entities are
translated into Australian dollars for presentation in the Telstra
Group financial report.
This financial report is prepared in accordance with historical
cost, except for some categories of financial instruments, which
are recorded at fair value; and assets held for sale, which are
measured at fair value less costs to sell. Cost is the fair value of the
consideration given in exchange for net assets acquired.
In preparing this financial report, we are required to make
judgements and estimates that affect:
• income and expenses for the year
• the reported amounts of assets and liabilities
• the disclosure of off-balance sheet arrangements, including
contingent assets and contingent liabilities.
We continually evaluate our judgements and estimates. We base
our judgements and estimates on historical experience, various
other assumptions we believe to be reasonable under the
circumstances and, where appropriate, practices adopted by
international telecommunications companies. Actual results may
differ from our estimates.
1.2 Clarification of terminology used in our income
statement
Under the requirements of AASB 101: “Presentation of Financial
Statements”, we must classify all of our expenses (apart from any
finance costs and our share of net profit/loss from joint ventures
and associated entities) according to either the nature (type) of
the expense or the function (activity to which the expense relates).
We have chosen to classify our expenses using the nature
classification as it more accurately reflects the type of operations
we undertake.
Earnings before interest, income tax expense, depreciation and
amortisation (EBITDA) reflects our profit for the year prior to
including the effect of net finance costs, income taxes,
depreciation and amortisation. Depreciation and amortisation are
calculated in accordance with AASB 116: “Property, Plant and
Equipment” and AASB 138: “Intangible Assets” respectively. We
believe that EBITDA is a relevant and useful financial measure
used by management to measure the Company’s operating
performance.
Our management uses EBITDA and earnings before interest and
income tax expense (EBIT), in combination with other financial
measures, primarily to evaluate the Company’s operating
performance before financing, income tax and non-cash capital
related expenses. In addition, we believe EBITDA is useful to
investors because analysts and other members of the investment
community largely view EBITDA as a key and widely recognised
measure of operating performance.
EBIT is a similar measure to EBITDA, but takes into account
depreciation and amortisation.
1.3 Rounding
All dollar amounts in this financial report (except where indicated)
have been rounded to the nearest million dollars ($m) for
presentation. This has been done in accordance with Australian
Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) Class Order 98/
100, dated 10 July 1998, issued under section 341(1) of the
Corporations Act 2001. Telstra is an entity to which this class
order applies.