This thesis is the study of the role and regulation of the external audit in the UK and US. It argues that the current audit model is fundamentally flawed, which has a negative impact on the quality of financial audits. This research contributes to the debate on external auditing by suggesting a free-standing legal re-conceptualization of the audit model, which aims to improve the quality of audits and reduce opportunity for accounting fraud. The research findings are drawn from qualitative analysis of legal and financial accounting sources. The thesis consists of three main themes. Firstly, it provides a comprehensive analysis of the regulatory framework for auditing by looking at why, how and by whom audit is regulated. Secondly, it analyses numerous flaws inherent in the current audit model. The focus throughout the thesis is on problems relating to auditors' independence, deficiencies in the spheres of legal, professional and social accountability of auditors, and excessive concentration of the audit market. Thirdly, following the analysis of various theoretical and international audit arrangements, the thesis suggests a new audit model. A key function in this model would be played by an external, public body - the Public Auditing Board, which would be in charge of appointment and remuneration of auditors carrying out audits in the public interest. It is submitted that moving audits to the public sector is desirable in order to introduce genuinely autonomous auditors, to provide better quality of audits and to restore public confidence in capital markets.

近幾年來，我國之政府預算一直不斷地膨脹，民國八十二年之政府歲出預算更突破一億台幣之歷史性關卡。由此可知，我國之政府就如同一個大企業，擁有很多資源，作很多的事，但支出與效益是否成比例，則是一個很嚴肅的問題。所以，如何促進政府對資源作更有效的利用，避勉舞弊以及浪費的發生，乃為當前政府所面臨的重大課題。尤其，最近因為重大工程弊案的不斷發生，使得大家逐漸瞭解到，唯有透過一套完整的監督及控制系統，才可徹底解決此問題。亦即，唯有建立一套健全的政府審計制度，才可避免政府的資源被不當或無效率的使用。政府審計的目的乃在瞭解政府的預算是否被妥善運用，是否遵照有關法令規定辦理，並對政府資金是否被濫用、誤用及有無達成既定目標尤其重視與關切。由此可知，政府審計主要著重在遵循審計及績效審計，與一般民營組織所著重的財務審計有所區別。由於我國為大陸法系國家，政府審計主要係根據審計法及審計法施行細則來執行，然而由於法律不易修訂，無法隨著需要作即時的改變，再加上審計法及審計法施行細則所規定都是一些程序問題。因此，近幾年來審計部乃醞釀制訂政府審計準則，以彌補審計法及審計法施行細則規定的不足，並使政府審計有一套原則性的規範，以提昇我國政府審計的品質。唯我國之情況是否適合制定政府審計準則，相關之條件是否成熟，都頗令人質疑，值得我們深入去探討。