This report examined PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Australia's ethical soundness in response to the 2023 Tax Practitioners Board's investigation into PwC's head of Australia's international tax. The Department of Finance concludes that PwC Australia has implemented, or is in the process of implementing, appropriate governance, ethical and cultural structures to significantly improve its ethical operation.

An audit conducted to assess if the Victorian public service gets value for money when it uses contractors and consultants. It found procurement and reporting processes comply with requirements, but public transparency about spending could be improved. The three departments looked at in detail could not always demonstrate value for money. The report made three...

This book explores a fundamental problem that undermines the integrity, competence and trust in public institutions: the expertise deficit. It aims to contribute meaningfully to public sector reform efforts underway in Australia and globally, particularly with regards to capability development and leveraging diverse forms of expertise. It focuses primarily on the Australian public sector.

This paper examines the make-up of the Australian Public Service (APS) and considers recent efforts to improve APS service delivery. It concludes that recent investment in the employment of more APS employees has improved service delivery outcomes and that any reduction will reduce service delivery or result in the engagement of more consultants and contractors.

This factsheet contains key insights into government spending on external consultants, in particular, departmental compliance with reporting requirements introduced in 2024. It finds sufficient transparency is still lacking in several departments, underscoring the need for stronger oversight and clearer reporting requirements to ensure public funds are used effectively.