According to an announcement this morning, ASIC has suspended the registration of Victorian auditor Philip James Dowsley, following a successful application to the Companies Auditors and Liquidators Disciplinary Board (CALDB).
The six-month suspension follows an ASIC investigation into the conduct of Mr Dowsley, a sole practitioner based in Kew, ASIC said.
The CALDB found Mr Dowsley failed to comply with a condition attached to his registration; failed to correctly complete five separate forms lodged with ASIC – namely three annual auditor statements, his application for registration as an SMSF auditor, and his SMSF auditor annual statement – and was not a fit and proper person to remain registered as an auditor.
ASIC’s application to the CALDB followed an investigation which found Mr Dowsley failed to comply with conditions attached to his registration as a company auditor following a previous ASIC investigation in 2012.
The CALDB found that compliance with the conditions was still outstanding, ASIC said.
The CALDB also found that Mr Dowsley was prepared to attest to the accuracy and completeness of the forms by signing them without fully or properly checking them.
ASIC said that in each statement, Mr Dowsley falsely and misleadingly stated that his registration was not subject to any conditions.
This course of conduct occurred over a period of three years and was found by the CALDB to be “grossly careless”.
After taking into account the medical problems he experienced during the relevant period, the CALDB suspended Mr Dowsley’s registration as a company auditor and ordered that he provide undertakings to the CALDB.
“ASIC will continue to take action against auditors who fail to comply with conditions attached to their registration and whose conduct falls short of required professional standards,” said ASIC commissioner John Price.
