This year has been one of meaningful progress for both the profession and our community.
Across Australia, we delivered a strong national program of conferences and forums, including SOPAC® and a series of sector-focused events. This was complemented by an expanded professional development offering, with 77 public courses, 15 in-house programs and 11 webinars designed to support members at every stage of their careers and respond to evolving expectations across risk, governance and assurance.
Alongside this, we made important strides in advancing assurance more broadly. Through active advocacy, we contributed to regulatory and policy consultations across AASB, ASIC, APRA and ASX, ensuring the perspectives of our community were represented in key decision-making forums. We also delivered 188 new resources, refreshed core guidance to align with the Global Internal Audit Standards, and responded to more than 200 technical queries from members.
This work continues to reinforce the role of internal audit within the Three Lines Model, supporting clearer accountability across governance, risk management and assurance.
At the same time, the role of assurance is evolving rapidly. Technological change, particularly the rise of artificial intelligence, is already reshaping how assurance is delivered. The focus is shifting beyond execution towards insight, judgement and strategic influence. As organisations adapt, the Three Lines Model is becoming more integrated, bringing governance, risk management and assurance closer together to respond to increasingly complex and interconnected risks.
The introduction of the Global Internal Audit Standards and Topical Requirements is also elevating expectations of the profession, reinforcing the need for consistency, transparency and value creation.
In response, we are continuing to evolve alongside this change. This includes expanding our capability offering through initiatives such as Artificial Intelligence Masterclasses, alongside a growing focus on AI governance, risk and controls. Our aim is to ensure members are equipped not only to respond to these shifts, but to lead within them.
We have also encouraged the profession to continue striving towards greater value through the release of the Internal Audit Excellence Framework, supporting a more forward-looking and impactful approach to assurance.
Internally, 2025 has been a year of transformation for IIA-Australia. We launched a new website to enhance the member experience, introduced a mentoring initiative to strengthen professional connections, and supported the rollout of the new Standards and Topical Requirements across the global assurance community.
These achievements reflect the strength, engagement and commitment of our members.
Looking ahead, our focus remains clear. We will continue to invest in capability, create opportunities for connection and learning, and advocate for the role of assurance in helping organisations navigate complexity and make better decisions.
Our members are critical to this work, and we look forward to continuing this progress together. If you are not yet a member, we invite you to be part of this progress and access the full range of member benefits by joining today.
Kind Regards,
Trish Hyde
CEO - IIA-Australia