iscoverFormer PwC partner Richard Gregg has had his tax agent registration terminated by the Tax Practitioners Board for breaching the Code of Professional Conduct.
Ex-PwC partner gets registration terminated for $11m tax shortfall
13 August 2025
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8 minute read
The Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) has terminated the registration of Gregg, a former PwC partner, and has banned him from reapplying for a four-year period.
In a statement, the TPB said Gregg was found to have breached multiple obligations under the Tax Agent Services Act 2009 and the Code of Professional Conduct, leading to the conclusion that he “was no longer fit and proper to be registered as a tax agent”.
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As part of the previous PwC tax leaks scandal, it was found that Gregg had made false or misleading statements in applications for the Research and Development Tax Incentive (RDTI) lodged on behalf of clients, in his capacity as partner and R&D specialist.
Peter de Cure, TPB chair, said the ATO determined Gregg’s conduct resulted in affected clients being hit with a cumulative tax shortfall of over $11 million and imposed cumulative penalties of over $800,000 across those clients.
“Clients rely on registered tax practitioners to provide a competent service. If tax practitioners act carelessly, it’s the clients who end up paying,” he said.
“In this case, Mr Gregg’s clients were reliant on his RDTI expertise, and they now face penalties due to his negligence and disregard for the law.”
Based on the investigation, the TPB added that Gregg’s RDTI applications did not meet the eligibility requirements and could not be substantiated, with the lack and failure of scrutiny leading to the significant tax shortfalls and penalties imposed on the clients.
Additionally, Gregg’s behaviour resulted in “significant time and resources being expended by the ATO and Industry Innovation and Science Australia, both of which were responsible for fairly assessing RDTI applications”.
De Cure said there was no place in the tax and super systems for tax practitioners to lack integrity.
“Such actions pose a serious risk to the tax profession. We expect a high standard from registered tax practitioners. Anything less jeopardises the public, who trust tax practitioners to get their tax and super affairs right,” he said.
“The government’s RDTI program is all about boosting the country’s competitiveness and productivity. It encourages businesses of all sizes to engage in research and development projects they might not otherwise pursue.
“The program is especially helpful in supporting smaller companies, making the incentives less complex. Given the specialised nature of R&D and the recent issues we have seen in this area, it will be one of our compliance focuses for 2025-26.”
The Australian Financial Review reported that Gregg had settled a defamation action against PwC for “being wrongly linked to the firm’s tax leaks scandal and has not practised as a tax agent since last year”.
“PwC named him in July 2023 as one of the eight partners who had left or were in the process of being removed from the firm’s partnership for professional or governance breaches,” it wrote.
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