Greens call for PwC ban extension as 15 July decision looms
The Greens have urged the Finance Department to extend PwC’s government contract ban, calling the decision a “no brainer.”
On 30 June, the Finance Department was due to decide whether PwC should be allowed to bid for government contracts again after it was banned following the 2022 tax leaks scandal.
Last week, the department opted to extend this deadline to July 15 as it continued to deliberate on whether PwC should be allowed to take on government work.
Greens senator Barbara Pocock said that it was “deeply worrying” that the department had extended its deadline, arguing that it should be a clear-cut choice.
“Finance is taking an extra two weeks to figure out whether it’s still a good idea to not let the firm that shared confidential information from the tax office with multinational clients looking to avoid tax. To me this is the very definition of a no brainer,” Pocock said.
“This is the firm that is still under investigation by the Australian Federal Police over the tax leaks scandal. This is the firm that treats Australians and their government with such disdain that they refuse to hand over documents or give any details about who was involved.”
In April 2024, PwC was barred from bidding on government work after it came to light in 2022 that its international tax chief had shared confidential government client information internally.
The leak provided PwC’s multinational clients with privileged access to information regarding incoming Australian laws which aimed to crack down on multinational tax avoidance.
Following revelations of the tax leaks, PwC was subjected to intense regulatory scrutiny regarding its ethical conduct and poor handling of conflicts of interest. It completed its TPB-ordered punishment in early 2025.
The scandal also drew a criminal investigation from the Australian Federal Police (AFP), and saw several senior PwC partners resign due to their involvement in the tax leaks.
Reputational damages saw the firm’s revenue fall by $820 million - its worst slump on record - following the scandal.
The debacle brought on broader regulatory changes within the tax profession, including stricter ethical breach reporting rules for tax practitioners under the Tax Agent Services Act.
The Greens argued that PwC should not be allowed to tender for government contracts until all outstanding investigations had been resolved and acted upon.
“While investigations are continuing it remains to be seen whether anyone inside PwC is liable to face criminal charges. This situation should answer the question facing the Finance Department without any reservation,” Pocock said.
“A green light now for PwC to re-enter the government consulting market sends precisely the wrong signal. It says that it’s OK to rip off Australian taxpayers and face no real consequences.”
PwC declined to comment when contacted.
