The Victorian government has spent more than $670 million (US$451.7 million) on consultants over the past five years, paying a firm embroiled in a national tax scandal almost $80 million (US$54 million).
The state Auditor-General’s Office released the new collated figures as a federal Senate committee investigates the integrity of major consultancy firms after the leaking of confidential tax information shared with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
PwC, Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler (KPMG), Ernst & Young, Deloitte and Boston Consulting Group ($362 million (US$244 million)) account for more than half of the $671 million (US$452.3 million) total spend from mid-2017 to mid-2022.
About $79.6 million (US$53.7 million) was paid to PwC over the five years, including $17.8 million (US$12 million) in the 2021/22 financial year….