This research note examines the state-of-play in the Australian government contract market, and how it may affect competition in the broader economy. The value of government contracts in Australia has more than quintupled over the past decade to $190 billion in 2022, making government the dominant force with the power to impact market dynamics.

This report examines the key events of the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) matter and their intersections with the Committee's inquiry. It also sets out the committee's views on PwC's approach to this serious and deliberate breach of confidence.

This survey asked Australians about their attitudes towards the Federal Government’s use of external consultants. Most people agreed that the public service should have the skills and capacity to do work currently outsourced to consultants and that too much money is spent on unaccountable external consultations.

This paper looks at the political donations contributed by Australia's largest four consultancy groups; KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young and Deloitte, and the impact their activity has had on the capability of the Australian Public Service.

The Australian government is spending dramatically more on contracts with consultancies than it did a few years ago. This paper argues that when the federal government does spend public money on consultancy reports and research, that advice should be published so it can be weighed up and assessed by the public.