Section 49

The accounts of the Authority shall be audited by the Auditor-General or by an auditor appointed annually by the Minister in consultation with the Auditor-General (referred to in this Act as the Authority’s auditor).

The Authority’s auditor shall be paid out of the funds of the Authority such fees as the Minister, after consultation with the Authority, may direct.

The Authority’s auditor or a person authorised by him shall be entitled to full and free access to all accounting and other records relating directly or indirectly to the financial transactions of the Authority and may make copies of, or extracts from, any such accounting and other records.

The Authority’s auditor or a person authorised by him may require any person to furnish him with such information which such person possesses or has access to as the auditor or duly authorised person considers necessary for the purposes of the functions of the auditor under this Act.

An officer of the Authority who refuses or fails without any reasonable cause to allow the Authority’s auditor access to any accounting and other records of the Authority in his custody or power or to give any information possessed by him as and when required or who otherwise hinders, obstructs or delays the Authority’s auditor in the performance of his duties or the exercise of his powers shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $500 and in the case of a continuing offence to a further fine not exceeding $100 for every day or part thereof during which the offence continues after conviction.[46