KPMG Australia faces scrutiny over misuse of Optus information – report

Ellichipuram Umesh

Mon, June 22, 2026 astatine 9:31 AM CDT 1 min read

KPMG Australia has admitted that its unit improperly shared confidential Optus accusation with an interior squad pitching for rival Telstra's audit work, breaching the company's ethical standards, Reuters reported.

The disclosure, made by KPMG Australia president Martin Sheppard astatine a parliamentary hearing, confirms earlier whistleblower allegations that the institution had antecedently said were not supported by interior and outer reviews.

According to the quality agency, Sheppard told lawmakers that "The Optus, Telstra substance emerged ⁠very recently".

The lawsuit comes alongside abstracted allegations that KPMG utilized confidential Lendlease committee papers successful bids for large audit mandates with Westpac and spot radical Dexus.

These Lendlease-related claims person dominated the ungraded to day and accrued unit connected the company.

Former KPMG Australia CEO Andrew Yates told the proceeding that grounds concerning Optus, uncovered by instrumentality steadfast Allens, triggered his resignation past month.

Lendlease was not informed until May 2025, astir a twelvemonth aft the whistleblower archetypal raised concerns internally.

Lendlease president John Gillam called KPMG's behaviour a "fundamental breach of trust".

Lendlease has since decided to extremity its astir 70-year audit narration with KPMG.

Yates said helium had not informed Optus of the ailment and could not callback erstwhile Westpac and Dexus were notified.

Lawmakers astatine the proceeding indicated that tougher regularisation of the Big Four accounting companies whitethorn beryllium required.

Earlier this month, KPMG deleted a planetary study connected AI aft aggregate lawsuit studies were recovered to beryllium inaccurate and seemingly generated from AI hallucinations.

"KPMG Australia faces scrutiny implicit misuse of Optus accusation – report" was primitively created and published by International Accounting Bulletin, a GlobalData owned brand.