Registration of greenhouse and energy auditors
Applying for registration as a greenhouse and energy auditor
Important requirements for registration and maintaining registration as a greenhouse and energy auditor
Registration of greenhouse and energy auditors
How do I apply to be a registered greenhouse and energy auditor?
Applicants need to read the information for auditors and then complete the application for registration as a greenhouse and energy auditor form. The application form is completed and submitted online through the Greenhouse and Energy Auditor Registration System (GEARS).
The guidelines help applicants complete the application form. They also provide more detail on eligibility requirements. Read the guidelines carefully before deciding whether or not to lodge an application.
How much does it cost to apply and register as a greenhouse and energy auditor?
The Clean Energy Regulator will not charge you a fee for applying to register as a greenhouse and energy auditor.
Overseas applicants should be aware that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Austrade will charge a fee to certify documents and witness signatures on Statutory Declarations.
Authorised translation services may also charge a fee for providing translations of documents in languages other than English.
How long will it take to process my application?
It may take six to eight weeks to process your application, depending on:
- The completeness of the information you provide in the application form.
- The accuracy of the information you provide in the application form.
- The speed with which third-parties (e.g. referees or relevant government agencies) are able to verify the information you have provided.
What happens if my application is incomplete?
If your application is incomplete, we will advise you in writing and provide guidance on how to complete the application.
You will have up to three months to provide the additional information. If we have not received the additional information within three months, your application will lapse and you will need to reapply.
How do I know if my application is successful?
We will advise you in writing whether your application for registration has been successful or not.
What details from my registration will be made publicly available?
Once you have been registered as a greenhouse and energy auditor, certain details about you will be published on the Register of Greenhouse and Energy Auditors.
This information is limited to date of registration, your name, contact details, category of auditor, your nominated specialisation(s), and your employer’s name and postal address or, if you are self-employed, your company name and postal address.
What are the eligibility criteria for registration as a greenhouse and energy auditor?
Different knowledge and experience requirements apply to each greenhouse and energy auditor category. You will need to provide proof of identity and demonstrate that you are a ‘fit and proper’ person, as defined in the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Regulations 2008.
You must also provide evidence that you are appropriately qualified and experienced, and that you possess the requisite knowledge of audit and National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) legislation.
Knowledge and experience:
Applicants for all categories must demonstrate knowledge of audit and knowledge of the NGER legislation and, if applying for registration as a Category 1 (CFI technical) greenhouse and energy auditor, the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) legislation.
- Category 1—Applicants for Category 1 must demonstrate knowledge of the NGER Act and the regulations of emissions measurement methodologies detailed in the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Audit) Determination 2009.
- Category 2—In addition to the requirements as outlined for Category 1 registration, applicants for Category 2 also need to demonstrate knowledge and experience in audit team leadership and the provision of assurance.
- Category 3—Applicants for Category 3 need to have met the requirements for Category 2 registration, and must have participated in at least two greenhouse and energy audits.
The full range of eligibility requirements are explained in more detail in the Greenhouse and Energy Auditor Registration Guidelines (DOC 411 kB) and the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Auditor Registration) Instrument 2012.
Can I apply to register in more than one category?
You can apply for registration in multiple categories, but you must meet all eligibility criteria for each category for which you have applied.
Can companies apply to register as a greenhouse and energy auditor?
The National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 requires that the Clean Energy Regulator register appropriately qualified individuals only.
Companies that provide audit services are not eligible for registration.
Do I need to have a university degree or formal audit qualifications to apply for registration as a greenhouse and energy auditor?
You must hold a relevant bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree (or equivalent) that:
- Is conferred by an appropriate university or an equivalent institution of higher learning
- Is relevant, in the opinion of the Clean Energy Regulator, to functions performed by auditors.
You may also be eligible if, at the time the degree (or equivalent) was conferred, it was equivalent to that of a current university degree.
If you do not hold a degree, and you think that your qualifications may be equivalent to a degree, we encourage you to apply. You must present a strong case in support of your claim.
Is there a deadline for sending in my application to register?
Applicants can apply at any time to be a registered greenhouse and energy auditor.
What can I do if I am having problems with the online registration form or require assistance?
If you encounter problems with the online registration form (e.g. setting up a new application, attaching documents, or issues with saving or printing an application) or you require a password reset, please contact the Audit Development and Management team on 1300 553 542 between 8:30am and 8:00pm AEDT and until 7:30 pm AEST Monday to Friday. Alternatively, please email enquiries@cleanenergyregulator.gov.au.
Important requirements for registration and maintaining registration as a greenhouse and energy auditor
What does ‘fit and proper’ mean?
The National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Regulations 2008 require applicants to demonstrate they are ‘fit and proper’ persons. The ‘fit and proper’ criteria relates to personal characteristics such as honesty, integrity, and trustworthiness.
As part of this process, you will need to declare such things as:
- criminal convictions where an element of dishonesty was involved
- civil liabilities for any breach of trust or other breach of fiduciary duty, dishonesty, negligence or recklessness
- bankruptcies
- cancellation(s) of membership of a professional body, and
- deregistration or disciplinary action that has been taken by another auditor registration authority.
Please be aware that the Clean Energy Regulator is only required to ‘have regard’ to these matters in making a decision. Declaring one or more of the above matters may not necessarily result in a decision to reject an application for registration.
The ‘fit and proper’ requirements is in the Greenhouse and Energy Auditor Registration Guidelines (DOC 411 kB).
What is the greenhouse and energy auditor’s Code of Conduct?
The Code of Conduct is a set of principles that require auditors to be objective and maintain their independence and integrity in practicing as a registered greenhouse and energy auditor. The elements of the Code of Conduct are based on those used by professional bodies, in particular, the accounting profession.
The Code of Conduct is in the Greenhouse and Energy Auditor Registration Guidelines (DOC 411 kB).
What does ‘independence’ mean?
Independence is a fundamental principle of auditing. It means that auditors should be free of any conflicts of interest that might impair the auditor’s ability to be objective and impartial.
For this reason, audit team leaders cannot conduct more than five consecutive greenhouse and energy audits of any particular entity.
How do I maintain my registration?
A registered greenhouse and energy auditor remains on the register until they elect to deregister or suspend themselves, or are deregistered or suspended by the Clean Energy Regulator.
To maintain registration, greenhouse and energy auditors must continue to meet all eligibility requirements. We periodically review registrations to ensure that this remains the case.
Registered greenhouse and energy auditors are required to notify us of any change in their circumstances which may affect their ability to meet one or more of the eligibility requirements set out in the Greenhouse and Energy Auditor Registration Guidelines (DOC 411 kB) and the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Auditor Registration) Instrument 2012.
Can the Clean Energy Regulator impose conditions on my registration?
If we have concerns about the capability of a registered greenhouse and energy auditor to conduct greenhouse and energy audits in accordance with the legislation, we may impose conditions such as:
- a requirement to undertake additional training
- additional requirements for professional development, and
- a direction that the auditor may only work on certain types of greenhouse and energy audits, or only in certain industry sectors.
Can registered greenhouse and energy auditors be suspended or deregistered?
If auditors cease to satisfy the eligibility requirements set out in the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Regulations 2008 and the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Auditor Registration) Instrument 2012, they may be suspended or deregistered. Poor performance may also result in suspension or deregistration.
Registered greenhouse and energy auditors may also request suspension or deregistration for their own reasons.
Do I need to take out professional indemnity insurance?
If you are a practicing registered greenhouse and energy auditor who has been appointed to lead an audit team, you will require appropriate insurance coverage.
Under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting legislation, if the audit team leader is a sole practitioner, they must maintain an insurance policy which has an insured amount of at least $250,000 for each claim, and all claims in the aggregate, made under the policy during each calendar year.
The legislation also requires that if the audit team leader is a member or employee of an audit firm, that firm must insure the team leader for an amount of at least $500,000.
All auditors, including those who are team leaders, are strongly advised to seek their own independent financial advice as to what insurance coverage they require in order to carry out their duties as greenhouse and energy auditors.
Greenhouse and energy audits
Conducting greenhouse and energy audits
The National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting audit program
Conducting greenhouse and energy audits
What is the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Audit Determination Handbook?
The National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Audit Determination Handbook is a practical guide to conducting greenhouse and energy audits.
The handbook was developed following extensive consultation with industry, the accounting profession, greenhouse gas verifiers, and the environmental audit sector and uses established accounting and greenhouse gas verification standards.
What is a greenhouse and energy audit?
The National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 defines a greenhouse and energy audit as an audit under sections 73 to 74A of the NGER Act. These are audits commissioned by the Clean Energy Regulator.
What is an alternative audit?
The National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Regulations 2008 define an ‘alternative audit’ as an audit that is not commissioned by the Clean Energy Regulator, but is conducted by a greenhouse and energy auditor in accordance with the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Audit Determination Handbook.
The Clean Energy Regulator may consider an alternative audit as comparable to experience in conducting a greenhouse and energy audit in regards to maintaining an auditor’s registration.
Who can conduct greenhouse and energy audits?
Only registered greenhouse and energy auditors are able to conduct greenhouse and energy audits for the Clean Energy Regulator.
If a corporation wants to self-audit its NGER data, does the audit have to be conducted by a registered greenhouse and energy auditor?
There is no restriction on who can conduct greenhouse and energy audits for corporations. However, we will not recognise an audit conducted voluntarily by a registered NGER corporation as a formal greenhouse and energy audit for the purposes of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007. If the audit has been conducted by a registered greenhouse and energy auditor in accordance with the requirements of the Audit Determination Handbook, we may consider this an alternative audit.
Does a registered greenhouse and energy auditor have to use the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Audit Determination Handbook and the templates provided, or are other standards equally relevant?
A registered greenhouse and energy auditor should use the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Audit Determination Handbook when conducting audits.
For audits initiated by registered NGER corporations, registered greenhouse and energy auditors are encouraged to use the Handbook, as it has been designed to assist auditors in meeting the requirements of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Audit) Determination 2009.
If registered greenhouse and energy auditors comply with the requirements of the Handbook, including reporting in accordance with the templates provided, we may consider the audit an alternative audit under the terms of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Regulations 2008 and by the Clean Energy Regulator.
What is the benefit for corporations that use a registered greenhouse and energy auditor to self-audit their annual NGER report?
NGER reports that have been pre-audited and assured by a registered greenhouse and energy auditor are less likely to contain inaccuracies, and may reduce a corporation’s risk profile.
The National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting audit program
What is the audit program?
The audit program is a requirement under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 (NGER) Act.
The primary purpose of the NGER audit program is to measure the accuracy of the reported data from NGER reports submitted by the selected companies.
A number of small, medium and large corporations, spanning a range of industry sectors, will have their NGER reports audited.
What are the different types of audits?
There are two types of greenhouse and energy audits:
- 1. Assurance—analyses data to provide an opinion on reliability, accuracy and completeness of the matters being audited. A reasonable assurance audit is the most comprehensive form of greenhouse and energy audit.
- 2. Verification—provides factual findings on agreed audit activities, but does not provide an opinion. For example, comparison of methodology of measurement with the requirements of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Measurement) Determination 2008.
How do I know if my corporation has been selected for NGER audit?
The Clean Energy Regulator (CER) will give you written notice of a decision to conduct an audit under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007. We will appoint an audit team leader to undertake an audit. The team leader will be a registered greenhouse and energy auditor under the Act.
Why has my corporation been selected for an audit?
We will undertake audits across a wide range of industry sectors and corporation sizes. By covering broad cross-section the audit program will provide a representative sample of NGER registered corporations for data analysis purposes.
What do I need to do if my corporation has been selected for an audit?
You will need to contact the appointed greenhouse and energy auditor to arrange for the audit to be carried out. Your corporation, and each member of your corporation’s group, must provide the audit team leader and any audit team members with all reasonable facilities and assistance necessary for effective exercise of the audit team leader’s duties under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007.
Can I refuse an audit?
Civil penalties may apply if a corporation does not provide the audit team leader and members with all reasonable facilities for the effective exercise of the audit team leader’s duties.
Who will pay for the audit?
The Clean Energy Regulator pays for audits conducted as part of the NGER audit program under Section 74 of the Act.
Will my corporation have access to the results of the audit?
The full results of the audit will be made available to audited corporations.
The results of the audit will benefit you by proving an overview of the accuracy of your NGER report and record keeping procedures.