What whistleblower scandal? KPMG continues to dish out whistleblower advice

The rolling whistleblower disaster enveloping KPMG Australia may have found a new gear on Friday, when it forced the resignation of the accounting giant’s CEO Andrew Yates.

But it would appear the saga’s widening blast radius hasn’t stopped the firm from dishing out, er, whistleblower advice. In a post to LinkedIn just weeks before KPMG announced Yates would depart, a forensic risk services director at the firm offered colleagues some sage advice on “the topic of Upholding Whistleblower Protections in Disciplinary Investigations”.

This from a firm which, in its own words, has since acknowledged that its treatment of the whistleblower complaint that sent the accounting giant into a tailspin and a subsequent investigation into the allegations “fell short of the firm’s expectations” and “those of the whistleblower” and “broader community”.

Of course, it bears noting that the director in question hasn’t been involved in the rolling scandal, CBD hears. The scandal went public in March, when Labor MP Deborah O’Neill raised the whistleblower allegations in a Senate speech. The speech cited “misuse of confidential information, corruption of ASX audit tender processes”. KPMG declined to comment.

On Friday, this masthead reported that KMPG said an initial internal investigation, which did not substantiate the allegations raised by the whistleblower, had not been conducted with the “necessary rigour required”. The firm’s chairman Martin Sheppard said he’d accepted the resignation of Yates and Julian McPherson, a senior partner at the firm, with immediate effect given their ultimate responsibility for the whistleblower complaint and investigation.

Oh, if only the pair had sought advice from their colleagues.

“Clear protocols that integrate whistleblower obligations into every stage of disciplinary investigations should be established,” the director suggested in the post.

“This includes protocols for separating whistleblower details from disciplinary investigations and escalation points to manage the tension between confidentiality and fairness. Further, creating structural separation – using independent investigators or oversight panels – is an avenue to reduce bias and conflicts.”

Spotted: Julie Bishop stocks up at Mecca

The last time we heard from former foreign minister Julie Bishop was, of course, when she announced in early May that she’d resigned as chancellor of the Australian National University, seven months before the end of her term.

As with any high-profile resignation, we would always encourage a bit of self-care. So we were pleased to see Bishop needing no invitation to stock up on essentials at the Mecca store in Double Bay on Saturday. The former deputy leader of the Liberal Party was then seen hailing a cab to get on with her day. We hope she treated herself to a nice scented candle.

Pokies influencers face a slap

A crackdown is looming for influencers pumping out content glorifying pokies, CBD can reveal.

Social media creators irresponsibly spruiking electronic gaming machines with wads of cash and unrealistic big wins are risking a fine of more than $24,000 if prosecuted. The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission is moving to monitor what it has identified as a growing trend of rogue pokies spruiking.

Under the Victorian Gambling Regulation Act, the promotion and advertising of poker machines is prohibited but according to the commission, there has been a rise in influencers popping up in that space with content including venue visits, gameplay or win moments that potentially blurs the line between advertising and entertainment.

The commission is launching an awareness campaign while also considering regulatory and legal options to bring to heel behaviour that potentially breaches Victoria’s gambling laws.

“When influencers fan out wads of cash and celebrate winning thousands of dollars, they’re not only sharing content, but they’re also shaping perceptions and attitudes towards gambling and downplaying the very real risk of harm that comes with it,” Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission chief executive Suzy Neilan said.

“Gambling products, particularly poker machines and sports betting apps, can carry high risks of harm to people who gamble, and we’re not seeing that reality represented on social media. We are aware of influencers and other social media accounts posting content portraying gambling as harmless fun, a lifestyle, or a source of easy money.”

A quick look at social media surfaces several examples of pokie content, usually by some loser pretending to be a big shot as a machine dings and flashes.

It might seem ridiculous, but there is a lot at stake. In the 2024-25 financial year, more than $3 billion was gambled away on poker machines in Victoria, according to the commission.

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