Commissioner rejects PwC partner’s oral evidence

afr.com:

The robo-debt royal commission rejected the oral evidence of a PwC partner who testified he could not recall if the firm was preparing a report about the scheme for the Department of Human Services.

Royal commissioner Catherine Holmes said she instead accepted the evidence of three other PwC personnel who all said they believed the firm was preparing a report for Human Services. She also accepted the revised evidence of the first partner who admitted it was “likely” Human Services knew a report was being prepared.

Royal commissioner Catherine Holmes also ruled that former Human Services secretary Kathryn Campbell, above, “made the decision” that the PwC report should not be finalised. 

PwC partners Terrence Weber and Thai Bowe and PwC director Frank van Hagen “were each of the understanding, or belief, that DHS was aware that PwC was preparing a report that was separate from the presentation to the minister”.

“In contrast, [PwC partner Shane] West gave evidence to the effect that he could not recall DHS ever having knowledge that PwC was preparing the detailed report that it had been drafting.

“However, Mr West later accepted, in submissions to the commission… it was likely that DHS was aware that PwC was preparing a draft report separate from the presentation, and in a more detailed format. That was a prudent and realistic concession.

“The commission rejects Mr West’s oral evidence and accepts the evidence of each of Mr Weber, Mr Bowe and Mr van Hagen, and Mr West’s updated position as stated in his submissions to the commission.”

The royal commission was called by the Albanese government after the previous government was forced to close down its automated welfare debt recovery scheme and pay out about 440,000 victims