All, This seems a bit to coincidental for my taste. It's interesting that a New Zealand firm is doing this review and the ICANN CoB is from New Zealand as well as a Barrister at one time in New Zealand. I wonder if there may be a COI here? In any event, I hope that this firm is aware of some basic principals regarding such an review and/or audit. For instance some references: This FAQ might help provide context for internal audit's efforts http://www.theiia.org/theiia/about-the-profession/faqs/ And... "Quality is not an act – it is a habit." - Aristotle "The emphasis should be on "why" we do a job" - W. Edwards Deming "Almost all quality improvement comes via simplification of design, manufacturing, layout, processes, and procedures." - Tom Peters "You can not inspect quality into the product; it is already there." - W. Edwards Deming __________________________________________________ 1. The Vital Need For Quality Internal Auditing http://www.complianceweek.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article.viewArticle&artic... 2. An audit committee briefing “Internal Audit Standards: Why They Matter” presents guidance on the practice of internal auditing and the assurance internal audit can provide the audit committee. http://www.theiia.org/download.cfm?file=83632 At-Large Staff wrote:

Westlake Consulting Limited (http://www.westlakenz.com/) (WCL) has been selected by ICANN's Board of Directors to conduct an independent review of the At-Large Advisory Committee (http://alac.icann.org/) (ALAC). WCL's review team is gathering information from many different sources including a range of people who have an interest, directly or indirectly, in the ALAC.

The objectives of the Review are principally: * [To determine] whether the ALAC has a continuing purpose in the ICANN structure; and, * If so, whether any change in structure or operations is desirable to improve its effectiveness. The Review Terms of Reference (http://www.icann.org/reviews/alac/alac-review-final-tor-20jun07.pdf) note that:

³It will be important to consider Š different perspectives relevant to the ALAC, including the views of individual Internet users, the ALSs, the RALOs, past and current Members of the ALAC, and many others within (and perhaps outside of) the ICANN community.²

Accordingly, WCL invites individuals or organisations, who wish to contribute observations or information about any aspect of the role, structure or operation of the ALAC, to email their comments to alacreview@westlakenz.com, no later than 18 April 2008.

-- Regards,

ICANN At-Large Staff email: staff@atlarge.icann.org

Regards, Spokesman for INEGroup LLA. - (Over 277k members/stakeholders strong!) "Obedience of the law is the greatest freedom" - Abraham Lincoln "Credit should go with the performance of duty and not with what is very often the accident of glory" - Theodore Roosevelt "If the probability be called P; the injury, L; and the burden, B; liability depends upon whether B is less than L multiplied by P: i.e., whether B is less than PL." United States v. Carroll Towing (159 F.2d 169 [2d Cir. 1947] =============================================================== Updated 1/26/04 CSO/DIR. Internet Network Eng. SR. Eng. Network data security IDNS. div. of Information Network Eng. INEG. INC. ABA member in good standing member ID 01257402 E-Mail jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com My Phone: 214-244-4827