It was a pleasure to experience the vibrant atmosphere at the Western Australia Internal Audit Conference last week. This year marked our highest attendance since resuming post-COVID, reflecting the conference’s growing appeal and the attendees’ engagement with both the content and networking opportunities.
The program, crafted by a working group from the WA Chapter, effectively addressed contemporary issues such as:
- IIA-Standards – Practical Application
- Auditing Third-Party Risk
- Assessing the Impact of AI
- Audit Planning in a Fast-Moving Universe
- Auditing Social Performance – Meeting Community Expectations
- Navigating Access and Handling Sensitive Data
- Integrating AI into Internal Audit
Both workshop sessions, focusing on risk culture and report writing, were well-attended. The CAE Breakfast also saw significant participation, discussing program assurance in the age of transformation. We extend our gratitude to the planning group for selecting pertinent topics for the WA profession.
In addition to the enriching content, delegates enthusiastically embraced the networking opportunities, creating a lively and energetic environment.
The conference also celebrated achievements, notably honoring Andrew Baldwin with the Meritorious Contribution Award for his significant contributions to the profession. Andrew, a dedicated IIA-Australia member, has exemplified the IIA’s purpose and guiding principles through his 21 years of continuous service to the IIA-Australia Western Australia Chapter Council. His steadfast commitment has made him an integral and respected part of the IIA in Western Australia.
Andrew expressed his gratitude to those who nominated him and shared the personal significance of this award.
“The recognition from this award in itself is nice, however my main reflection is that it affirms my decision to contribute to the IIA-Aust, the IA profession in WA and WA members – as something that people genuinely value. A great reminder that the deliberate contributions that each of us make can be truly meaningful. I’m proud of our profession and to say I am an internal auditor by trade.”
To conclude the day, we also recognised the recipient of the GradCertIA Achievement Award 2023. This award honors a student who has demonstrated the most significant improvement across the four modules of their study, specifically among all those who completed in 2023. Although this award was acknowledged at SOPAC this year, our recipient was unable to attend. As a Western Australia-based student, it was a pleasure to present Simran Vijayakumar with her award and acknowledge her achievement at the conference.
The day was eventful for the profession in Perth, beginning with the CAE Breakfast, followed by a busy technical program, ample opportunities for dining and networking, and concluding with farewells at the networking drinks. Some attendees even returned the following day to participate in the workshops.
Undoubtedly, it was a successful event, and this year’s conference serves as the perfect launching pad for celebrating a significant milestone in 2025 – the 50th Anniversary of the Western Australia Internal Audit Conference!