2026-06-27
The Labor Government continues to hire morally-bankrupt KPMG to run ethics and leadership training for senior public servants despite the ongoing fallout over multiple scandals.
KPMG currently holds a $1.27 million contract to provide training on ethics and leadership for 300 top public servants through the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC). The contract runs until Dec 2026 with the possibility of extension until Dec 2028.
The Greens are demanding Labor cease the contract immediately and end all ethics and leadership training by KPMG.
Further, Labor must review all of its 297 active contracts with KPMG worth $653 million to root out and terminate any similar contracts that touch on ethics or leadership, and ban KPMG from all government work until they have been investigated.
Lines attributable to Greens finance and public service spokesperson Senator Barbara Pocock:
“Just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, it does.
“$1.3 million dollars in ethics and leadership training from morally-bankrupt KPMG - you can’t make this stuff up!
“KPMG could run a great class in unethical leadership, how to monetise confidential information, coverups and how to undermine whistleblowers.
“What exactly has the Government paid for? This is a firm that misused confidential client information to secure more work, misled the parliament and seriously mistreated whistleblowers - among other things.
“Our most senior public sector leaders should not be undertaking any form of training – let alone on ethics and leadership - from a firm that has, by its own admission, breached the most basic ethical values and whose leadership has failed.
“The Government is paying disgraced KPMG for their so-called ‘ethics expertise’ at the same time it is conducting an ‘independent review’ into KPMG’s governance, culture, ethics and integrity frameworks. Is this a joke?
“Labor needs to wake up and listen to the outrage of ordinary Australians.
“The leadership and ethics of KPMG, exemplified by the recent scandals and evidenced by multiple resignations, is precisely the kind of leadership training that we do not need in the public sector.
“Not only did KPMG fail to learn from the awful lessons of the PwC debacle, it sought to present itself as the ethical alternative to secure lucrative contracts – including this one.
“Labor has rose-coloured glasses for KPMG even when they behave unethically. The Government is completely addicted to KPMG.
“The Government needs to review all contracts with KPMG and ban dodgy firms from government work. It needs to establish a consultant regulator and increase penalties for egregious behaviour and ethical failures.”
MEDIA CONTACT:
Charlotta Lomas - 0466 339 862