Former PwC chief Luke Sayers ‘does not recall’ being told to review firm emails
Luke Sayers “does not recall” the Australian Tax Office ever asking him to review internal emails relating to the firm’s troubled tax division and said he was acting to “address the ATO’s concerns” during his time as chief executive of PwC Australia.
His comments were made in response to a Tax Office timeline released by the Senate on Monday which said Mr Sayers was urged to “personally review the internal emails” related to the firm’s tax advice in August 2019.
Former PwC Australia CEO Luke Sayers Darrian Traynor
“During my tenure as CEO it was public knowledge, and I knew, that the ATO was engaging with the big four in relation to multinational tax laws,” Mr Sayers said in a statement.
“I and other representatives of PwC met with the ATO to discuss a number of issues relating to aggressive tax practices, promoter penalties, and claims of legal professional privilege on behalf of clients of PwC.
“I was involved in and oversaw a number of steps as a result of those discussions, seeking to address the ATO’s concerns.
“I did not personally review the tens of thousands of documents and emails which PwC provided to the ATO as part of these processes, nor do I recall that being suggested to me by the ATO.”
His account of the meeting differs with a timeline provided by ATO second commissioner Jeremy Hirschhorn to Senate estimates that was published on Monday evening.
The timeline stated Mr Hirschhorn had held a meeting with Mr Sayers on August 29, 2019, where he advised him to “personally review the internal emails” related to PwC’s tax practice.
Mr Hirschhorn also stated, “the meeting covered a range of ATO concerns related to PwC conduct and the formal notice process”.
Mr Sayers also said he was not aware that former
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