Aust’s KPMG Overcharged Defence, No Impact On Its Fiji Operations

Consulting firm KPMG Aus­tralia is a separate part­nership from KPMG Fiji, said managing partner Lisa Apt­ed. Responding to reports of over­charging in billions of dollars by KPMG Australia, and repeatedly ripping off taxpayers through in­flated invoices and billing the Aus­tralian federal government, for hours never worked, Ms Apted said KPMG’s Fiji operations were a separate matter.

It is not the first time KPMG Aus­tralia has come under the spot­light. According to Australian reports, KPMG Australia claimed the government was charged for work never done and jobs not needed.

It revealed warnings that the use of consultants in government wasted money and damaged ac­countability.

Ms Apted and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Cooperatives, Small Medium En­terprises and Communications, Manoa Kamikamica were asked if the accusations levelled against the Australian firm would impact KPMG’s operations in Fiji.

“We are not the same firm; we are a separate partnership, the Aus­tralian partnership and the part­nership in Fiji,” Ms Apted said

Mr Kamikamica said he was not familiar with the Australian-relat­ed report.

Meanwhile, KPMG this week opened its $6 million Nadi office on Monday.

Story By: Mereleki Nai

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