뉴질랜드, 100조 달러 공공부채 해법 제시…‘발생주의 회계’로 재정 효율화”
New Zealand Proposes Solution to $100 Trillion Global Public Debt Crisis with ‘Accruals-Based Accounting’
Global Debt Reaches $100 Trillion: Can Accrual Accounting Offer a Solution?
In the early 1980s, New Zealand was on the brink of an economic collapse. The aftermath of oil shocks and rampant inflation had brought the country’s economy to its knees, with unemployment soaring and citizens facing widespread hardship. The government’s policies, including excessive subsidies, price controls, and excessively low interest rates, exacerbated the situation. At the time, New Zealand earned the unflattering nickname “the Albania of the South Pacific” due to its high levels of regulation and economic struggles.
However, according to Bloomberg, New Zealand transformed into one of the world’s most prosperous nations by the mid-1980s. The catalyst for this remarkable turnaround was the Labour Party’s “Rogernomics” policy under Finance Minister Roger Douglas. This set of structural reforms included removing exchange rate controls, privatizing public services, and granting the central bank independence in setting interest rates. One of the most significant changes was the introduction of ‘Accruals-Based Accounting’, which radically shifted the government’s fiscal management approach.
The Adoption of ‘Accruals-Based Accounting’: A Turning Point for Fiscal Health
New Zealand’s shift to accrual accounting fundamentally altered the way the government managed its finances. Unlike cash-based accounting, which focuses solely on actual cash flow, accrual accounting records economic transactions when they occur, regardless of when cash is received or paid. This allowed the government to evaluate assets and liabilities from a long-term perspective, with departments becoming more focused on efficient asset management and fostering long-term investment.
For example, under accrual accounting, the cost of pension liabilities must be immediately recorded as a debt, prompting the government to actively set aside reserves for future pension payments. In 2001, New Zealand established a pension fund that today provides the country with significant fiscal flexibility.
Additionally, by accounting for depreciation of buildings and infrastructure, the government was able to prepare for the eventual aging and replacement of assets. In contrast, cash accounting made it difficult to reflect the true value of assets, leaving future generations to bear the burden of deteriorating infrastructure. Accrual accounting, on the other hand, incorporates depreciation costs into the budget, enabling long-term and sustainable fiscal management.
Accounting Reforms Drive New Zealand’s Economic Growth
Ian Ball, a professor at Victoria University of Wellington, noted that the switch to accrual accounting played a key role in improving New Zealand’s fiscal performance. According to Ball, the country saw a steady increase in net assets beginning in 1994, and even amid crises such as the global financial crisis and the Christchurch earthquake, New Zealand managed to grow its net assets consistently.
Since the 1980s, New Zealand has used accounting reforms to enhance the transparency of its public finances and manage government debt more effectively. This approach is now being recognized as a potential solution to the global public debt crisis. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that global public debt will exceed $100 trillion this year, urging countries to make significant fiscal adjustments.
A Global Solution to Public Debt?
Efforts to adopt New Zealand’s model are underway in several countries, as accrual accounting is seen as a means to boost public sector productivity and improve asset management efficiency. Professor Ball explained, “When accrual accounting is properly implemented, governments can manage assets more effectively and address cash flow shortfalls.”
However, no country has fully embraced accrual accounting yet. Political challenges remain, as the transparency and accountability demanded by accrual accounting can create significant political pressure. As seen in the UK, where accrual accounting was only adopted in 2011, the process of shifting to this accounting system is slow and requires considerable time and effort.
Accrual accounting demands long-term transparency and accountability, which can be politically burdensome. Countries that wish to adopt it fully must contend with these challenges. As Bloomberg points out, while accrual accounting can be an essential tool for creating a more honest and transparent government budget, it remains to be seen which bold political leaders will be willing to push for its implementation.