This first issue prioritises recent releases and consultations with imminent deadlines.

1. Proposed revisions to the ISA for LCE

Type: Exposure draft
Issuer: IAASB, 22 July 2026; XRB consultation updated 18 August 2026
Comments: XRB 25 September; IAASB 17 November

What is new: Targeted revisions incorporate the new fraud and going-concern requirements, replace “listed entity” with “publicly traded entity,” and align the standard with revised ethical requirements for external experts. The XRB also proposes allowing appropriately tailored service-organisation control reports as audit evidence.

Why it matters: This is the highest-priority assurance item because SIA has adopted the ISA for LCE. Samoa should test whether the added procedures remain proportionate for small entities and donor-funded organisations.

Read in full: IAASB explanatory memorandum pages 8–23; XRB consultation document pages 5–10. Focus on fraud, going concern, experts and service-organisation reports.

2. Proposed ISA 330, ISA 500 and ISA 520 revisions

Type: Exposure-draft package
Issuer: IAASB, 5 August 2026
Comments: 15 December 2026

What is new: The proposals modernise audit evidence and risk responses, including:

• A revised definition and framework for audit evidence
• Stronger evaluation of information relevance and reliability
• Clearer rules for tests of controls and substantive procedures
• More rigorous substantive analytical procedures
• Principles for using technological tools without prescribing particular technology

Why it matters: These proposals will directly affect Su’a & Associates’ Audit Assistant programmes, particularly reliance on client-generated reports, spreadsheet evidence, analytical procedures and controls testing.

Read in full: Overall project paper pages 12–25; ISA 500 paper pages 8–20; ISA 330 paper pages 9–19; ISA 520 paper pages 7–12.

3. Presentation of Public-Sector Financial Statements

Type: Consultation paper
Issuer: IPSASB, 27 April 2026
Comments: 14 September 2026

What is new: IPSASB proposes replacing IPSAS 1, using IFRS 18 as the starting point but adapting it for public-sector accountability. Major questions include operating, investing and financing categories; expense presentation by nature or function; aggregation; subtotals; and management-defined performance measures.

Why it matters: This could substantially change future financial-statement formats for Samoa’s government entities and SOEs using IPSAS, including PAGL.

Read in full: Consultation paper pages 34–49 on financial performance, pages 59–65 on notes and performance measures, and Appendix C, pages 72–74.

4. AASB 2026-4—application of IFRS 18 to NFP and public-sector entities

Type: Final regional standard
Issuer: AASB, issued 3 September 2026

What is new: Australia has provided targeted IFRS 18 relief for certain not-for-profit public-sector entities. Relief includes flexibility over operating, investing and financing categories, expense presentation, management-defined performance measures and operating-cash-flow reconciliation.

Why it matters: Although not authoritative in Samoa, it is a strong regional precedent for SIA when considering how IFRS 18 should apply to churches, charities, statutory bodies and other public-benefit entities.

Read in full: AASB 2026-4 pages 6–13 and Basis for Conclusions pages 23–27. The related AASB Action Alert also covers concessionary leases and sustainability-assurance fee disclosure.

5. New Zealand draft climate-reporting roadmap

Type: Policy consultation
Issuer: XRB, June 2026
Comments: 30 September 2026

What is new: The XRB proposes adopting an NZ version of IFRS S2, harmonising where appropriate with Australia, permitting early adoption from 1 October 2026 and moving to mandatory application from 2033.

Why it matters: This offers SIA a practical model for Samoa’s ISSB pilot: international alignment, regional harmonisation, limited local modifications and a long capacity-building transition.

Read in full: Draft roadmap pages 6–10; consultation document pages 10–24, particularly the IFRS S2/NZ differences, scenario analysis and local-modification sections.

6. 2026 IPSASB Handbook

Type: Final authoritative compilation
Issuer: IPSASB, 17 August 2026

What is new: The handbook consolidates pronouncements issued through 31 January 2026 and, for the first time, incorporates the public-sector sustainability reporting suite, including IPSASB SRS 1.

Why it matters: Samoa’s IPSAS manuals and audit templates should now reference the 2026 edition. It is particularly relevant to leases, revenue, transfer expenses, measurement, natural resources and public-sector climate reporting.

Read in full: 2026 IPSASB Handbook landing page—prioritise the Preface, editorial corrections, IPSAS 43–51 and IPSASB SRS 1.

7. ISSB taxonomy update for GHG disclosures

Type: Proposed digital-taxonomy update
Issuer: ISSB, 29 July 2026
Comments: 28 September 2026

What is new: Proposed tags reflect the December 2025 IFRS S2 amendments concerning Scope 3 Category 15 financed emissions and alternative industry-classification systems.

Why it matters: This does not change IFRS S2 requirements, but Samoa’s pilot templates should capture disclosures in a way that can later support comparable digital reporting.

Read in full: Proposed taxonomy update pages 4–6 and 10–13.

8. IFRS for SMEs consolidation exception

Type: Narrow-scope exposure draft
Issuer: IASB, May 2026
Comments: 9 September 2026

What is new: An intermediate SME parent could avoid consolidation when its investment-entity parent reports subsidiaries at fair value under IFRS 10.

Why it matters: The issue is narrow but relevant to ensuring Samoa’s SME requirements are not more onerous than full IFRS. It is unlikely to affect many local entities.

Read in full: Exposure draft pages 4–9 and Basis for Conclusions pages 11–15.