Implementing the New Audit Process

LINZ introduced a new audit process in September 2007 following a pilot during the first six months of 2006.

Purpose of the new audit process

The purpose of a cadastral survey audit is for LINZ to obtain reasonable assurance that licensed cadastral surveyors (LCSs) are complying with the Surveyor-General's Rules for Cadastral Survey, the Cadastral Survey Act 2002 and regulatory and statutory reqirements. The new audit process places more emphasis on systems and controls to provide a higher level of confidence in the quality of cadastral surveys.

The historic audit process

Historically, auditing by LINZ and its predecessors was mainly limited to field audits including confirming the placement of pegs and survey marks and extensive checking of cadastral survey datasets (CSDs) lodged with LINZ.

However, a field audit only gives assurance for the audited CSD and may not be indicative of the quality and reliability of other CSDs submitted to LINZ by a LCS.

Piloting a new approach

A new approach to quality assurance of CSDs was piloted during the first six months of 2006. The approach involved assessing survey firms quality assurance processes with a focus on their systems and controls.

An overview of the pilot was presented to members of the Consulting Surveyors of New Zealand (CSNZ) – a division of the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors (NZIS) at their Hamilton conference 18 March 2006.

Following discussion between LINZ and CSNZ, it was agreed to run the pilot until the end of the financial year 2005/06 and then review its effectiveness. The Summary of Pilot Cadastral Audit Project (pdf 117KB), released in September 2006, summarises the results of the pilot project.

The pilot project concluded that the new quality assurance approach provided increased assurance to the Surveyor-General that CSDs were complying with survey standards. It also suggested ways that LCSs could improve quality assurance processes.

CSNZ and LINZ agreed to release the pilot report to all LCSs as a precursor to the new audit process being implemented. On 18 March 2006 LINZ presented the overview LINZ Quality Assurance – Cadastral Survey Audits "Way Forward" (pdf 190KB) to CSNZ.

Find out more about the pilot project in the following Landwrap - Landonline articles:

• February 2006 LINZ survey audit methods to change
• Late August 2006 Audit pilot successful
• September 2006 Survey audit pilot key findings
• November/December 2006 Auditing of Cadastral Survey Datasets.

Consultation

The methodology was prepared by LINZ and developed with the agreement of the Surveyor-General, CSNZ and survey firms that took part in the pilot.

During the consultation phase the new audit methodology was reviewed by the Institute of Cadastral Surveyors (ICS), NZIS and CSNZ.

In February 2007 LINZ circulated the report Audit Process for Cadastral Surveys - Office and Field Audit Approach (pdf 138KB) explaining the new audit methodology to all LCSs via the Cadastral Surveyors Licensing Board.

Implementation of the new approach to auditing

Until August 2007 the focus of the audits was on advising the survey profession of the changes and explaining why more weight is placed on the field audit. From September 2007 the full audit process was implemented taking the LCSs quality assurance processes into full account when reaching audit findings.

The full audit process will continue in the present format until 2009. Find out more about field audits, office audits & audit conclusions.

For more information and if you have any queries, please contact us, or write to:

Business and Regulatory Assurance Manager
LINZ
Private Box 5501
Wellington 6145

Phone +64 4 460 0110
Email info@linz.govt.nz