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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-NZ link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>I disagree with some of the views (from Carrie) about the audit. A corporate auditor has very specific requirements as to independence and heavy responsibility in conducting such an audit. The major audit firms such as BDO have substantial professional indemnity insurance, because of that very heavy responsibility. To suggest they are not doing an independent job is with respect, wrong, because the role is not understood properly. The audits talked about by others like Paul are on different issues, but still overlooks the purpose of the role of BDO.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Regards<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D'>Chris LaHatte<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D'>Ombudsman<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D'>Blog </span><a href="https://omblog.icann.org/"><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif'>https://omblog.icann.org/</span></a><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D'>Webpage </span><a href="http://www.icann.org/en/help/ombudsman"><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif'>http://www.icann.org/en/help/ombudsman</span></a><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D'>Confidentiality<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D'>All matters brought before the Ombudsman shall be treated as confidential. The Ombudsman shall also take all reasonable steps necessary to preserve the privacy of, and to avoid harm to, those parties not involved in the complaint being investigated by the Ombudsman.The Ombudsman shall only make inquiries about, or advise staff or Board members of the existence and identity of, a complainant in order to further the resolution of the complaint. The Ombudsman shall take all reasonable steps necessary to ensure that if staff and Board members are made aware of the existence and identity of a complainant, they agree to maintain the confidential nature of such information, except as necessary to further the resolution of a complaint<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></body></html>