KPMG staff improperly shared Defence material with colleagues
A KPMG staff member had a laptop that contained Defence information stolen from their driveway in 2019, while another KPMG staffer forwarded material improperly to colleagues at the firm.
A KPMG staff member reported that their laptop had been stolen from the boot of their car. Ryan Stuart
“Defence was quickly informed” about the incidents, KPMG said adding that “no sensitive material” was compromised and that the firm has “rigorous security protocols in place”.
Defence told The Australian Financial Review that it received a “security report” about the stolen laptop but could not locate any documentation related to the second incident.
The department has separately admitted in response to Senate estimate questions from Greens Senator David Shoebridge that it does not centrally track “confidentiality breaches relating to consultants”.
Details of the incidents come as the Albanese government looks to cut its bill on consultants and other professional service providers. Defence will slash its spending on consultants and contractors and aims to convert about 1000 contractor or consultant roles to public service roles.
ABC’s Four Corners also aired allegations at the start of the month that KPMG submitted inflated invoices and billed Defence for hours that were never worked. The program also stated that KPMG has entered into contracts with Defence worth $1.8 billion over the past decade, far more than its big four rivals.
ABC also reported on Tuesday morning that the Australian Signals Directorate had awarded KPMG a $46 million contract relating to its REDSPICE program despite knowing the firm had inside information it could exploit from an earlier stage of the project.
Defence created a “security incident report” for the
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