iscoverAs the PwC tax leaks scandal remains front of mind for the industry, the Tax Practitioners Board is launching an investigation into current and former PwC partners for potential code breaches.
TPB continues compliance crackdown on PwC, broader industry
17 October 2025
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8 minute read
As the TPB continues down the path of a sharpened focus on delivering a fair, data-driven, risk-based compliance program, it is looking to delve deeper into the conduct of current and former PwC partners.
Yesterday morning (16 October), The Australian Financial Review reported that the “tax watchdog” had launched a new investigation putting current and former PwC partners under its microscope in the long aftermath of the big four firm’s tax leaks scandal.
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According to the Financial Review, “The number of individuals and the nature of the TPB’s inquiries are unclear, but the new probes are expected to be completed by next year.”
“The regulator is also investigating senior figures from other major firms, according to people not authorised to discuss ongoing inquiries,” the Financial Review said.
The launch of the alleged investigation comes after the TPB unveiled its 2025–26 corporate plan in August and TPB chair, Peter de Cure, shared the regulator’s view on an Accountants Daily podcast in July.
For the duration of the next financial year, de Cure said the TPB would take a sharpened approach and focus on a fair and data-driven risk-based compliance program, supporting tax practitioners and the public, contributing to informing the tax and regulatory system as well as further enhancing its capabilities.
Off the back of the uncovered PwC scandal, de Cure said the TPB would aim to promote voluntary compliance, while ensuring fairness for ethical practitioners.
“These priorities will address systemic issues like tax fraud and shared risks such as personal tax obligations, while also targeting promoters of tax schemes, unregistered preparers and professional misconduct to protect vulnerable Australians from financial abuse,” he said.
“These priorities are based on data, complaints and key risks in our compliance program. Sharing our compliance priorities helps the tax profession to review and improve services, protecting their clients, practice, and the integrity of the profession.”
In a podcast episode with Peter de Cure earlier this year, statistics on whistleblower reports under the TPB’s regime – which came into play in 2024 – were also shared, with over 1,100 whistleblower complaints having been received by the watchdog.
The whistleblower arrangements were introduced last year on 1 July to individuals who ‘blew the whistle’ about related entities to the TPB to assist it in performing its functions and duties under the Tax Agent Services Act 2009.
On this, de Cure said since the enforcement of the reforms, the TPB had received a total of 1,111 complaints, of which 601 qualified for disclosure and 106 had an eligible relationship.
“For the first time, the TPB is now an eligible whistleblower recipient. So, we have a system with the ATO where the complaints can be made direct to us, direct to the ATO or to the government at large. Now we have a process with the ATO where we triage those complaints and divide them between ourselves,” he said.
“The right ones that are about the ATO go to them, the ones that are relevant for us come to us. Over the period, we've received a total of 1100 complaints, of which 601 qualify.”
Accountants Daily has reached out to the TPB for comment to confirm the recently launched investigation into current and former PwC partners as reported by the Financial Review.
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