9‑5 Audit reports9‑5 Audit reports

9‑5 Audit reports

(1) After an auditor completes an audit, or the audit ends, the auditor must make a written report (an audit report) of the audit.

Note: An auditor is an authorised officer or an approved auditor (see the definition of auditor in section 12 of the Act).

(2) The audit report must include the following: (a) the name of the auditor; (b) the day the audit commenced, the day the audit was completed or ended and the total time spent (in hours) conducting the audit; (c) a description of the export operations, or the matters referred to in subsection 267(1) of the Act, to which the audit relates; (d) a description of the nature and scope of the audit. (3) The audit report must state: (a) whether, in the auditor’s opinion: (i) the audit was satisfactorily completed or the audit was ended before it could be satisfactorily completed; and (ii) the requirements to which the audit relates are being, or have been, complied with; and (b) the reasons for the auditor’s opinion. (4) If the audit identified that there is, or there has been, a failure (or a combination of failures) that amounts to a non‑compliance with one or more requirements to which the audit relates, the audit report must: (a) describe each failure; and (b) state whether, in the auditor’s opinion, the failure (either by itself or in combination with other failures) is a critical non‑compliance (within the meaning of subsection 9‑4(3)) or has contributed to a critical non‑compliance; and (c) state the reasons for the auditor’s opinion. (5) The audit report may also: (a) identify any risk of a potential non‑compliance with a requirement to which an audit may relate; and (b) include recommendations that any of the following actions be taken: (i) action to address any non‑compliance with a requirement to which the audit relates; (ii) action to ensure that any such non‑compliance does not recur; (iii) action to address the risk of a potential non‑compliance with a requirement to which an audit may relate; (iv) action to assess the effectiveness of an action referred to in subparagraph (i), (ii) or (iii). (6) The auditor must give a copy of the audit report to the relevant person for the audit before the end of the period of 14 business days beginning on the day the audit is completed or ends.

Note: For the relevant person for an audit, see section 269 of the Act.

(7) The Secretary may, by notice in writing given to the auditor, request the auditor to give the Secretary a copy of the audit report. The Secretary may specify in the notice the manner in which the auditor is to give the copy. (8) The auditor must comply with any request under subsection (7) before the end of the later of the following periods: (a) the period of 14 business days beginning on the day the Secretary made the request; (b) the period of 14 business days beginning on the day the audit is completed or ends.