item can be measured reliably. The costs of day-today servicing of property, plant and equipment are
recognised in the surplus or deficit in the statement
of comprehensive revenue and expense as they are
incurred.
Depreciation
finite life is amortised on a straight-line basis over
its useful life. Amortisation begins when the asset is
available for use and ceases at the date that the asset
is derecognised. The amortisation charge for each
financial year is recognised in the surplus or deficit
in the statement of comprehensive revenue and
expense.
Depreciation is provided on a straight-line basis on
all property, plant and equipment at rates that will
write off the cost of the assets to their estimated
residual values over their useful lives. The useful lives
and associated depreciation rates of major classes of
property, plant and equipment have been estimated
as follows:
The useful lives and associated amortisation rates
of major classes of intangible assets have been
estimated as follows:
Equipment
2–12 years
8.3–50%
Impairment of property, plant and equipment
and intangible assets
Furniture and fittings
5–17 years
5.9–20%
Leasehold improvements 9–12 years
8.3–11.1%
Leasehold improvements are depreciated over
the unexpired period of the lease or the estimated
remaining useful lives of the improvement,
whichever is the shorter.
The residual value and useful life of an asset is
reviewed, and adjusted if applicable, at each financial
year-end.
Intangible assets
Software acquisition
Acquired computer software licences are capitalised
based on the costs incurred to acquire and bring to
use the specific software.
Costs associated with maintaining computer
software, the development and maintenance of the
Commission’s website, and staff-training costs are
recognised as an expense when incurred.
Trademarks
Trademarks are capitalised based on the costs
incurred to register the trademark with the
Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand.
Amortisation
The carrying value of an intangible asset with a
64
Acquired software
3–5 years
20–33%
Trademarks
10 years
10%
Cash-generating assets
The Commission does not hold any property, plant
and equipment or intangible assets that are cashgenerating. Assets are considered cash-generating
where their primary objective is to generate a
commercial return, otherwise they are considered
non-cash generating.
Non-cash-generating assets
Property, plant and equipment and intangible
assets that have a finite useful life are reviewed
for impairment whenever events or changes in
circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may
not be recoverable. An impairment loss is recognised
for the amount by which the asset's carrying
amount exceeds its recoverable service amount. The
recoverable service amount is the higher of an asset's
fair value less costs to sell and value in use.
Value in use is determined using an approach based
on either a depreciated replacement cost approach,
restoration cost approach, or a service units
approach. The most appropriate approach used to
measure value in use depends on the nature of the
impairment and availability of information.
If an asset’s carrying amount exceeds its recoverable
service amount, the asset is regarded as impaired
and the carrying amount is written-down to the
recoverable amount. The total impairment loss is
recognised in the surplus or deficit in the statement
Human Rights Commission