Accounting

A $27 million lawsuit by Dubber against former CEO Stephen McGovern and the software firm's solicitor has been stayed as the corporate cop pursues the company's auditor.

Allens has denied a senator's claims that it exercised "poor judgment" when accepting answers from three KPMG partners as credible during an investigation into whistleblower claims.

KPMG's deputy general counsel has said his investigation into a whistleblower's claims of ethical breaches was "fundamentally undermined" by dishonest answers to his questions and "restricted" scope.

The former chief operating officer at KPMG has admitted that she stored a confidential Lendlease document in her locker and considered sharing it with a colleague but has said she did not understand why she was the only person forced out from the partnership. 

Optus chair John Arthur said Friday KPMG's alleged sharing of the telco's confidential information to win business with Telstra was an “egregious breach of responsibilities”. 

The former chair of Westpac’s board audit committee did not disclose allegations made by a whistleblower that KPMG breached its confidentiality obligations, having resigned due to his “social engagements” with senior members of the accounting firm during a tender, an inquiry has heard.

The chair of Dexus told a parliamentary inquiry Friday that this initial reaction to an Allens report into a whistleblower’s allegations about ethical failures at KPMG was “why didn’t you come and talk to us?”.

Macquarie Group chairman Glenn Stevens will face the latest parliamentary joint committee hearing Friday into KPMG ethic's scandal, joining executives from Westpac, Optus and Dexus.

Several entitles in the Cottle family group, which owns construction company FDC Construction & Fitout, have won more time to serve a $280 million negligence suit on accounting firms Nexia and PricewaterhouseCoopers over more than two decades of tax and financial advice.

Lender RND Funding wants to revise its case against BDO Advisory and auditor Ernst & Young over advice given to defunct Adelaide company Gen1 Biotechnology, a week out from trial.