The recruitment of KPMG has been described as a “shocker” by Geoffrey Watson, a director of the Centre for Public Integrity, who has also criticised the department for not being upfront about the cost.
Some tobacco industry sources were surprised KPMG was awarded the contract given the firm’s long history of working for them and ongoing audit work. The bureaucrats in the Victorian government who signed up big tobacco’s go-to consultants KPMG, must have rocks in their headsThat same convention requires public officials to avoid and manage conflicts of interest and to protect public health policies in relation to tobacco control “from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry”.
“There is a legitimate concern about any government seeking advice about management of such a deadly product as tobacco from a company that’s had a history of working for that industry, said Prof Terry Slevin, the chief executive of the Public Health Association of Australia.