The purpose and process and timelines for the environmental audit and the state of the environment reports are different. A state of the environment report is required to be tabled within three years of the revised Environmental Rights Act coming into effect and every four years afterwards. An environmental audit is conducted every five years by an independent body, and the next audit is due to be completed in 2025. The department continues to ensure that it meets reporting requirements in our environmental legislation and that this report is coordinated where appropriate.