Summary:
In response to allegations of confidential information misuse, professional services giant PwC has agreed to stand down implicated employees, complying with a directive from the Australian federal government. The suspected breach saw confidential tax policy data shared with potential clients. Jenny Wilkinson, finance secretary, confirmed that PwC had accepted the instruction and recommended suspending the implicated staff from all Commonwealth contracts until the completion of an internal review. However, concerns arise as the Australian Federal Police (AFP), also contracted with PwC, investigate the breach. The Centre for Public Integrity highlights a 400% surge in contracts with the “big four” consultancies, including PwC, over the past decade. The total value of public service contracts with these firms reached $1.4bn in 2021/22.
This summary comes from The Guardian, was written by Paul Karp and Australian Associated Press, and can be found here.