The Accreditation Authority may check that the assessment of a development, and granting of consents, has been undertaken in accordance with the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016.
To ensure compliance with the relevant requirements, accredited professionals are subject to auditing. An audit ensures that accredited professionals are:
- acting within the conditions of their accreditation
- abiding by the professional standards set out in the code of conduct
- undertaking assessment of development, granting relevant consents and other prescribed work in compliance with the requirements of the Act and regulations.
An audit of an accredited professional must be completed by a suitably qualified auditor. A person is a qualified auditor if they:
- have qualifications, experience and technical skills in planning or building assessment or a related discipline and approval from the Accreditation Authority
- are acting under an agreement between the Accreditation Authority and an association or other body in connection with the conduct of audits, or
- are an employee of the state, and the Accreditation Authority considers that person to be suitably qualified to act as an auditor under this regulation.
Accredited professional periodic audits must be completed within the first five years after initial accreditation and then once every five years after that.
The Accreditation Authority will also undertake spot checks and reviews outside of the periodic audit requirements.
An accredited professional will be required to develop a corrective action plan if non-compliances are identified during an audit.
Implementation of corrective actions must be demonstrated by an accredited professional when they apply to the Accreditation Authority to continue their accreditation. It will be grounds for cancellation of the accreditation if audit findings have not been adequately addressed.
A qualified auditor must report any significant non-compliance to the Accreditation Authority, who may:
- make recommendations to the accredited professional
- give directions to rectify any matter, or to take any other action to prevent a recurrence of any failure or irregularity
- impose conditions on an accreditation
- lower the level of an accreditation, or
- take action to cancel or suspend an accreditation.
Building practitioners who have notified and are eligible for Automatic Deemed Registration (ADR) under the Commonwealth Mutual Recognition Act 1992 will be audited under the Accreditation Authority’s periodic audit program.
ADR practitioners will be required to develop and implement corrective actions if non-compliances are identified during an audit.
As per the Mutual Recognition Act 1992, the professional’s Home State registration body will be notified if an audit finding results in disciplinary action (including any preliminary investigations or action that might lead to a criminal, civil or disciplinary proceedings).
In certain circumstances, the Accreditation Authority must inform all other local registration authorities of particulars regarding disciplinary action.
Any questions or comments regarding the audit program can be made directly to our audit and investigations team via post, email or telephone:
Post
Accreditation Authority
Accredited Professionals Scheme
GPO Box 1815
Adelaide SA 5001
Telephone
08 7133 2619
