Treasury has confirmed it has referred the PwC tax scandal, involving former partner Peter Collins, to the Australian Federal Police for a criminal investigation.
“PwC Australia’s former head of international tax, Mr Peter Collins, improperly used confidential Commonwealth information,” Treasury Secretary Dr Steven Kennedy said in a statement on Wednesday evening.
Former PwC partner Peter Collins has been banned as a tax practitioner.
“The emails that the Tax Practitioners Board tabled in Parliament on 2 May, 2023, highlighted the significant extent of the unauthorised disclosure of confidential Commonwealth information and the wide range of individuals within PwC who were directly and indirectly privy to the confidential information,” Kennedy said.
“In light of these recent revelations and the seriousness of this misconduct, the Treasury has referred the matter to the Australian Federal Police to consider commencement of a criminal investigation.”
The TPB board banned Peter Collins, the former PwC partner who leaked confidential government tax plans, from acting as a tax practitioner until next year.
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A 148-page document, released by Senate estimates, detailed the evidence from the board’s investigation which revealed how confidential information on plans to combat multinational tax avoidance was shared widely among other staff and partners within the multinational firm, and marketed to clients.
More to come.
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