NT Government pauses contracts with KPMG Australia

• The Northern Territory government has paused all new contract tendering and extensions with accounting firm KPMG Australia.
• KPMG delayed notifying the US Public Accounting Oversight Board about the Northern Territory’s procurement pause by roughly one month.
• State and federal government contract freezes stem from allegations that the accounting firm misused confidential client information to secure work.

The Northern Territory government has paused all contract tendering with KPMG Australia following allegations of contract misconduct.

The action expands existing restrictions across Australia after KPMG took roughly a month to disclose the regional update to the US Public Accounting Oversight Board.

KPMG stated in the regulatory filing that the Northern Territory’s pause will continue as long as the Australian federal government maintains its contract extension freeze.

The firm initially lost access to new government contract bidding on June 16 after investigations revealed improper use of confidential client data.

This regional decision mirrors contract freezes imposed by state governments in Western Australia, Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory.

The broader Australian federal government pause remains in effect until Oct. 31 following an extension of an independent Department of Finance review.

The contract freeze represents part of a series of national government restrictions impacting major Australian consultancy operations.