PwC Australia reveals names of former partners in tax leak scandal.

By, Harshadkr. Arun Salve
PwC Australia has disclosed the names of four former partners who were allegedly responsible for misusing confidential information from the government in a tax leak scandal that has rocked the professional services firm.

The names were provided to a Senate committee that is investigating the matter, along with the names of nine current partners who were put on leave last week and 63 current and former staff who received at least one email containing confidential information.

The scandal erupted in January when it was revealed that PwC's former head of international tax, Peter Collins, had shared confidential information and documents obtained through his work for the government with his colleagues to win overseas business and potentially undermine Australia's tax revenue.

Collins, who has since been deregistered as a tax agent, was one of the four former partners named by PwC, along with three others who appear in the emails associated with the scandal.

PwC Australia's acting chief executive, Kristin Stubbins, said the firm had heard the calls from its stakeholders to release the names of those who were responsible for confidentiality breaches and had been working as quickly as possible to determine that and disclose them to the Senate.

She also apologised to the community, the government, the clients and the staff for betraying their trust and said the firm had not had adequate processes and governance in place to prevent such behaviour.

PwC Australia is now facing multiple investigations, including a criminal probe, over its role in the tax leak scandal and has announced a series of measures to improve its culture and governance.

The firm said it had ringfenced its government work to minimise conflicts of interest and enhance governance, appointed two independent directors to its board, replaced its chairs of governance board and risk committee, and commissioned an independent review by Ziggy Switkowski into its operations and culture.

The Senate committee has welcomed PwC's disclosure of the names but has also urged the firm to release them publicly. Senator Deborah O'Neill, who has been leading the inquiry, said PwC should not use the "cloak of the Senate" to hide behind and should be transparent with the parliament, the public and the international audit sector.

She said the tax leak scandal was a "terrible indictment" on PwC and an "egregious breach of trust" against the interests of the Commonwealth.

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