Federal government consulting is now firmly in the big three era, with Ernst & Young, Deloitte and KPMG all collecting more than $3 million each from taxpayers in July, according to data available on AusTender.
EY took the honours in July with consulting contracts worth nearly $3.9 million (though inflated by a bumper $2.5 million three-year auditing contract for the Department of Industry). KPMG garnered the most pure-play consultancy dollars — $3.3 million over 11 contracts with six agencies. “Sky rockets in flight/Afternoon” Deloitte was close behind with $3.2 million, helped by a $1.6 million defence contract for “management advisory services” (way to go on transparency there, defence).
Defence, as always, has been handing out the big bucks: Capagility, a firm founded by three aeronautical engineers, recently signed a big deal to establish an aerospace propulsion centre of expertise for defence and received $5.8 million in July.
Health also handed $3.85 million to dementia research collective Australian Dementia Network for “design and pilot of preventative services”, and $2.4 million to “positive influence” consultants Nous Group for “user research and evaluation”. Nous earned a total of $26 million from taxpayers in 2021-22 and $22 million last year, so it’s off to another strong start for this year courtesy of health, which handed it $6 million last year and $6.7 million the year before.
As for PwC’s consulting arm, some agencies were, inexplicably, still handing money to it even as it was being flogged for a dollar. The National Emergency Management Agency — part of the scandal-plagued Home Affairs portfolio — gave PwC more than $1 million for “management advisory services” at the start of July, evidently ignoring Home Affairs secretary Mike Pezzullo declaring in May he didn’t have confidence in the firm.
The soon-to-be-Scyne also collected $400,000 from the Climate Change Department for a “functional area plan” (presumably that means more than a seating plan for staff in the John Gorton Building), but that was pursuant to a contract back in April, so that department has some cover.
Meanwhile, PwC’s former rivals continue to enjoy a steady stream of revenue from taxpayers. So much value destruction at PwC for so little benefit.
No surprises re Nous – virtually all ex-public servants milking the existing public service on the promise that hey this could be you when you when to get out, another former public servant and now a Nous consultant. Senator O Neill is 100 per cent on the money – its a cesspit of back-scratching for no outcomes. What amazes me is that you could build a forest from the “reports” “frameworks” and “strategy papers” that are full of public service wah but have never had a thing implemented. But they speak the same language of adjectives and why say something in 2 sentences when 30 pages will do – not to mention the snazzy PowerPoint. Mind you that statement applies to all of the consulting reports from the big consultants which sometimes even do an accurate name replace on their first draft ( the report always being just a repeat of another)…. but often not. Have no faith that anything will change – feeling more like its a different colour Government but nothing much has changed.
well put but how is Gough ? Rolling in shame and yelling into the void – a bunch of scum
EY’s defence consultancy arm used to have Kim Beazley on its board (source: Michael West’s revolving door website). Can Marles be far behind?
what a rort – Tony Abbott started off with “getting rid of the red tape”….. But he failed to mention the sell off of democracy via contra deals with dubious outcomes like 58 billion to one jobs provider overseeing a mere 7 thousand unemployed in one year – amassing free capital assets like tge charity the ex mayor set up and his ex partner with a seat on tHE committee for DESE and NDIA panel had a say on the modelled carer angel jobs only fit for women to do the worst roles but ticking the diversity boxes for immigrants workers or young people as preferred candidature over seasoned “karens”
Marles has seen how the defence corruption machines work to make their people filthy rich. Make no mistake he wants in. If he cant get a gig with Hockey and Pyne he will get a spot with some other thieves.