The consultancy firms raking in billions of taxpayer dollars | Four Corners

The PwC tax scandal shocked Australia, but the issues with consulting giants are bigger than just one firm.
Four Corners investigates the revolving door of staffers who’ve moved between the likes of EY, Deloitte and federal government departments. Whistleblowers also expose how KPMG, one of Canberra’s biggest clients, got cosy with Defence.
Broadcast as Shadow State on ABC iview on 6 August 2023 and ABC TV on 7 August 2023.
Four Corners is Australia’s premier investigations documentary series.
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EDITOR'S NOTE (August 7, 2023): Following publication of this story, KPMG told Four Corners it investigated various claims made by a former contractor in 2019 and there was no evidence to support over-billing of Defence.

[@amannotnamedsteve9363]

This is awesome journalism. Another reason why 4 Corners is the greatest journalistic outlet in Australia. This shows the PWC scandal is more of a systemic issue rather than a lone wolf amongst the pack. Look forward to hopefully seeing positive change come from this piece

[@jameswatt7249]

This is what the ABC should focus on.

[@letsburn00]

They are. They are making far more news out of it than any other station.

[@gepmrk]

You mean, rather than 'more stories about successful business people'?

[@justadam1917]

Thank you to the wonderful journalists of the Australian broadcasting commission

[@xFENRISx]

Thank goodness for a free press. Thank you, ABC!

[@davelahn1768]

Now thats OUR ABC, thank you!

[@nonconformist.]

👍🙏 to Four Corners / ABC. This is so important to decent, effective Government.

[@danielong4013]

Why are any of us surprised ? Put the fox in the hen house and expect it not to eat the chickens.

[@minhtrinh8974]

Exactly ...

[@ash-is-napping]

Thank you to the brave whistleblowers

[@timschaefer86]

Absolutely excellent journalism. Thank you ABC for never saying away from telling the hard stories.

[@000Dragon50000]

Public Services should be run by the state or national governments, this weird coddling of semi-private industries needs to die, it's pure wastefulness.

[@davo-ju6er]

Why is there not a live spending /expenditure website for ANY & ALL government & council.

[@kingdomfor1]

"It's one big club , and we ain't in it ", George Carlin .

[@coastsouljah]

Its quite surprising how this issue isn't a huge thing with Australian news outlets

[@ings_ings]

Big4 advising them!

[@genb4374]

A few people own everything and it goes all around, you know it's not surprising

[@tomjones8293]

paid news outlets actors.. so silent

[@JagtarSingh-dh1ij]

24:07 😊😊 30:52 😅

[@gepmrk]

No it isn't.

[@Birch37]

Anyway you cut it, Government is responsible and accountable for not having appropriate transparency, checks and balances in place. Governance 101.

[@24Nasorangmal]

Thank you ABC, cheers!

[@elisabethdabrowski1098]

thankyou for putting this up early this week

[@michaelfardell8239]

Fantastic reporting

[@tobybrown1179]

Problem is no one will make a decision in any government level from councils upwards and they get in consultant’s in to do this for them

[@mickmonomayo]

It's the same in Ireland , I have worked for 2 firms here. The same stuff is going on.

[@kristieslater]

Poor guy, keep on keepin' on Brendan! Doing the right thing

[@badboybruno547]

I’m still yet to see a consult actually come up with any recommendation that employees of the companies haven’t already made. It’s all a scam. The give away is in the name, you can’t spell consultant without con.

[@DashDa5h]

Worked as a consultant in one of the big 4 and this is all too true. Billables are the number one kpi all consultants.

[@SairSolidair]

Thank you ABC

[@QuintusAndreus]

Should do a feasibility study on what to do next

[@nathanulrich2847]

Anyone going to ask why the loop holes were there in the first place?

[@dannyobrien8298]

The liberals: small government and big consulting

[@DouglasASean]

great reporting thanks

[@rabeltgoi6641]

And here we are good citizens, keep contributing tax. Bravo.

[@gjlite4947]

Great that the ABC covered this. This is a global problem. This is what happens when economists and corporations push for small governments.

[@thearmchairjournalist566]

Why doesn’t the government take back the control over these processes that are needed for the running of our government and put in public service workers and save the taxpayers millions of dollars!!

[@markbeale7390]

That's too simple?

[@jaxlockhart518]

We won’t be safe until there’s real reform.

[@lileipumc]

Not sure if it’s a coincidence but all three interviewees from government or university are women, making brave voice to those dark matters.

[@richardgrant418]

When I joined the Victorian public service around 1998, coming from private enterprise I was astonished how many consultants there were. The tail end of Kennett style. But some of it stuck

[@Maddfisher]

How disgraceful our government needs to answer to this

[@Shards7800]

The Liberal Government

[@manujha4758]

Local startups don't get enough business...

[@lesleywatt2696]

Well done. Now what. More of the same I suspect. The new watchdog has now got consultant in its sights, I sure do hope so. Well done 4 corners your show is always tax payers money Well spent!

[@BG_36]

Just imagine if that 10 billion was spent on universities who could provide independent academics to provide scholarly advice and value

[@norfolkinchance]

It’s not $10 Billion to spend elsewhere. If consultants didn’t do the work, then the public service would have done it. So the difference is not $10 Billion. That was the spend on consultants rather than Public Servants.

[@BG_36]

@@norfolkinchance do you understand how industry/ government dept funding of research works?

[@michelleayres5608]

I'm sure it's the same going on in tbe US. Where's the media outrage?

[@WilhelmPendragon]

The escalator bit was quite funny

[@creepersonspeed5490]

It's almost like just cutting headcount doesn't just make business better or means these objectives get achieved better

[@solidfuel0]

I don't understand what they sell

[@coastsouljah]

We love Deloitte! ❤🇦🇺👌

[@hongsonngo8515]

:)

[@inzombniacc]

First!