240New section 9A inserted

240 New section 9A inserted

After section 9 of the Audit Act 1994 insert—

"9A Cultural safety guidelines and procedures

(1) The Auditor-General, after consultation with the First Peoples' Assembly, must establish written guidelines and procedures to promote and safeguard cultural safety in the exercise of the Auditor-General's powers and performance of the Auditor-General's functions under this Act or any other Act in relation to Gellung Warl, any public officer of Gellung Warl and any Gellung Warl staff member.

(2) The Auditor-General may request the Treaty Authority to provide advice for the purposes of establishing the guidelines.

(3) Guidelines and procedures established under this section are not binding on the Auditor‑General and a failure to comply with them does not, of itself—

(b) affect the validity of any act or decision, or otherwise make unlawful any exercise of power or performance of functions, of the Auditor-General under this Act or any other Act, or provide grounds for review of any act or decision.

(4) Nothing in this section affects or takes away from the Auditor-General's independence.".