NSW IPART audits of CILC compliance

The audit will involve a series of interviews with key stakeholders and technical teams. It’s important to ensure that Senior Officers Responsible (as defined by your licence) are available for interview. Audits begin with a kick-off meeting, and the lead auditor will provide a licence-appropriate document request list. Subsequent technical interviews and additional evidence requests may be necessary.

The frequency of IPART audit and related compliance reporting is governed by your organisation's individual operating licence. As a general guide, electrical energy utilities are on an annual cycle (deadline Sept 30), and Water utilities may be on a 5-year cycle.

Thales can assist your organisation with its audit readiness and compliance alignment, however strict conflict of interest guidelines apply to IPART auditors, and may preclude Thales from performing your CILC audit for between one and two calendar years.

Your auditor will evaluate gaps in compliance to determine whether they constitute material or non-material non-compliance. Recommendations will be documented accordingly in the audit report, and your organisation has the opportunity to provide a remediation plan for any non-compliances to the Tribunal and Commonwealth Representative, in accordance with the regulation.

Thales Client Executives will work with our IPART Auditors to define the scope of your operations governed by your licence and enumerate any specific agreements that you may have with the Commonwealth Representative that affect your organisation’s compliance with licence conditions. Typical engagements require 30 business days effort.

At engagement, the auditor will provide an initial document request list including key policies and procedures from your Information Security Management System, and various evidence requests pertaining to your operational compliance with your individual licence.