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48 public sector consultant, contractor firms billing SA taxpayers more than $1m a year as external advice soars

 Listed: 48 public sector consultant, contractor firms billing SA taxpayers more than $1m a year as external advice soars

Official figures reveal a whopping $277m is going towards outside consultants and contractors. Search the full list of companies and see who runs them.
Andrew HoughKathryn Bermingham and Jessica Ball
13 min read
April 18, 2024 - 6:09PM
Hendri Mentz of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Lisa Morris of Hays Specialist Recruitment, Julian McCarthy of PwC and Scott Grigg of Expose Data Pty Ltd. Pictures: File
Hendri Mentz of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Lisa Morris of Hays Specialist Recruitment, Julian McCarthy of PwC and Scott Grigg of Expose Data Pty Ltd. Pictures: File
South Australian taxpayers pay more than $3.2m a day for the state government to hire outside help, official figures show, as dozens of the highest earning companies are revealed.
Excluding transport and infrastructure spending, government departments and agencies spent at least $277m on external consultants or contractors last financial year despite the public service growing by nearly 1700 workers. 
Spending spiked nearly 50 per cent over the past three years after almost $188m went on external advice, work or services in 2020/21, government data shows.
The total cost across all departments last year was $1.169bn – or $3.204m a day. 
Unions called on the government to abandon its reliance on consultants while the Opposition criticised the spending.
Ministers defended the necessary spending as most contracts were to find staff amid a national worker shortage crisis.
For the first time, the list of businesses receiving more than $1m in taxpayer funds for government contract work can also be laid bare.

SCROLL DOWN FOR THE FULL LIST OF MILLION DOLLAR COMPANIES



South Australian Treasurer Stephen Mullighan. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz
South Australian Treasurer Stephen Mullighan. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz
Public Service Association general secretary Natasha Brown. Picture: Supplied by the PSA
Public Service Association general secretary Natasha Brown. Picture: Supplied by the PSA
Almost 50 international, national or local companies each billed taxpayers a seven figure sum last financial year for their collective contracts, according to the first such analysis of public records.
Some companies, only a quarter of whom were based in SA, had multiple government contracts. 
There is no suggestion that any of the individuals or businesses have engaged in any wrongdoing nor that they haven’t rightly earned their money.
The highest earning private company, multinational employment firm Hays Specialist Recruitment, received almost $18m in taxpayer funds from 15 contracts to supply workers, including temporary staff.
Hays was paid almost double the next highest consultant Johns Lyng Group – Disaster Management Australia – which cleaned up the River Murray flooding for Green Industries.
Annual reports, tabled in parliament, show the biggest spender last year financial year was the Transport and Infrastructure Department, which paid more than $892m to contractors and consultants. 
Its spending, however, fluctuated – it was almost $2bn in 2021/22 and $1.38bn the previous financial year – due to most contracts being paid for building works or construction. 
Other top spending agencies in 2022/23 included Education and Primary Industries, as well as Premier and Cabinet departments along with SA Health and SA Police.
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TAFE, Renewal SA and Corrections recorded the highest total increases for consultants and contractors over the past three years.
Ministers said the increased spending was “mainly due” to work with the River Murray flooding, PIRSA infrastructure projects such as the Dog Fence rebuild, the National Schools Reform Agreement, the new Office of Hydrogen Power SA and a major Education IT system project.
Officials said more spending on contractors reflected a “temporary increase in resourcing for time-limited initiatives” such as the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital and South Road project.
Figures show the public sector headcount increased from 109,736 in 2020-21 to 114,735 in 2022/23 – a rise of 4.5 per cent.

Despite the Labor government’s promise to cut back on fat cats, executive numbers rose by nearly 100 over the same period.
Last year’s budget warned agency bosses to make cuts by “reducing expenditure on consultants, contractors, marketing, communications, accommodation, travel, and other goods and services”.
Treasurer Stephen Mullighan said the government preferred employing people rather than use consultants or contractors.
“Generally the government does not support the ongoing use of contractors in place of recruiting the right skills to the public sector,” he said.
“But in such a tight labour market and where skills have been required for time-limited projects, trying to recruit people during the skills shortage has been really difficult.
“What these figures show is there are some agencies that have been prudent but others clearly haven’t; the government expects restraint in using contractors and there should be clear justification with for their use.
“Some agencies have increased their spending rather than decrease in line with the government’s clear public expectations.”

An Advertiser investigation has also found:

EMBATTLED “Big 4” accounting firm PwC has been dumped from the state government’s preferred audit and financial services supplier panel after a national tax scandal;

SCORES of agencies spent tens of millions of dollars in temporary staff. Examples included almost $6.8m in three years to plug Housing Trust staff shortages, Trade and Investment spending more than $2.53m last year on 13 consultants or recruiters while the Environment's entire $3.51m contractor bill in 202/23 was for temporary staff;

TAFE recorded the biggest spike in spending at 197 per cent including almost $9m last year on more than 50 consultants or contractors for its Bolder Future Project. TAFE acting chief executive Dr Norman Baker defended the costs on “expertise” to boost IT for remote learning, finding more highly qualified staff and for campus upgrades;

THE Tourism Commission, the only agency that kept secret the sums paid to consultants and contractors, defended the secrecy: “The financial information of individual third-party arrangements is commercially valuable to the state and disclosure of this information risks diminishing the negotiating position of both the SATC and third parties”.

SECRECY also surrounds Premier’s department’s biggest contractor, Wavemaker, which supplies and buys media advertising after costs over several years were dubbed “commercial in confidence”. Despite the secrecy a department spokesman said it disclosed amounts on its website while a “majority of expenditure... is essentially passed onto” the media industry”;

AN overhaul of a jail IT system called iSafe, is $1m over budget and at least five months late. Last year the Corrections Department spent more than $1m on specialist technology staff for the project, which a spokeswoman said would “provide the highest level of safety and security for the community, victims, staff and offenders”.

RENEWAL SA failed to publish details on contractors, which it said it wasn’t obliged to do while defending “entirely routine” decisions to hire specialist consultants rather than add to paid staff to work on a more than doubled major projects portfolio;
THE Premier’s delivery Unit paid Notus Advisory Pty Ltd, headed by Westpac executive Peter Hanlon, $28,600 for “strategic advisory services”.
INTERNAL MFS investigations into unspecified “allegations” cost $114,000;

GREEN Industries spent $11.5m last year on the River Murray flood clean up.
Public Service Association general secretary Natasha Brown criticised increasing levels of budgets heading to firms “with relatively little public scrutiny and accountability”.
“This government came to power on a platform of returning public services to public hands,” she said.
“The government must focus on re-establishing capacity within the public service rather than pouring public money into consultants’ and contractors’ gravy trains.”
Opposition spokesman Matt Cowdrey said “unsurprisingly, this has also seen a steep increase in contractor and consultancy payments” and asked if the government would cut spending.
He said last year’s budget confirmed government department spending “has ballooned, with nearly every one of them overspending their budgets” in Labor’s first year.

LISTED: SA’S MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACTOR AND CONSULTANT COMPANIES

Hays – $17.85m total, 15 departments

Matthew Dickason, 54, is Asia Pacific chief executive officer of Hays Specialist Recruitment, which is a subsidiary of the British multinational. The Sydney-based recruiter has been boss for just over a year after almost 20 years with the company. 
Hays Specialist Recruitment chief executive Matthew Dickason. Picture: Supplied
Hays Specialist Recruitment chief executive Matthew Dickason. Picture: Supplied
Hays Specialist Recruitment’s Lisa Morris. Picture: Supplied
Hays Specialist Recruitment’s Lisa Morris. Picture: Supplied
Lisa Morris is Hays’ Adelaide-based chief customer officer for Australia and New Zealand for almost a year after being the company’s SA/NT state manager during a 27 year career with the company.
Philip “Phil” Allen has been a Hays’ director since 1999 and is currently its Asia Pacific finance director.
Johns Lyng Group managing director and chief executive Scott Didier. Picture: Supplied
Johns Lyng Group managing director and chief executive Scott Didier. Picture: Supplied
Peter Nash chairman at Johns Lyng Group. Picture: LinkedIn
Peter Nash chairman at Johns Lyng Group. Picture: LinkedIn

Johns Lyng Group – $9.85m, one department

Scott Didier, 61, is managing director and chief executive of Johns Lyng Group – a provider of “integrated building services”. The group says its core business is rebuilding and restoring properties and contents damaged by insurable events, including weather and fire. Mr Didier took up leadership of the group on acquisition in 2003.
Peter Nash, 61, is chairman of Johns Lyng Group. He also serves on the boards of Westpac, Mirvac and ASX Limited, and has previously held the role of national chairman of KPMG Australia.

Randstad – $8.9m, 13 departments

Nick Pesch is managing director Australia and New Zealand at Randstad, a leading global HR and recruitment company. Port Lincoln-born Mr Pesch, 49, has been with the business since 2006 and held various management positions.
Shaun Mansell is regional manager (professionals) for SA and WA at Randstad. He has worked in the Adelaide recruitment sector since 2005.
Nick Pesch Randstad managing director Australia and New Zealand. Picture: LinkedIn
Nick Pesch Randstad managing director Australia and New Zealand. Picture: LinkedIn
SA chairman of KPMG Justin Jamieson. Picture: Tricia Watkinson
SA chairman of KPMG Justin Jamieson. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

KPMG – $7.38m, 14 departments

Justin Jamieson is SA chairman at KPMG Australia. He has been a partner at the big four firm since 2008 and spent more than 25 years working in the professional services sector.

CIVICA – $6.58m, one department

Lee Perkins, 51, is chief executive at Civica, a company that develops software to help deliver critical services. Mr Perkins, who is UK-based, joined Civica in 2022 after holding various senior positions in the UK technology sector.
Lee Perkins, chief executive of Civica UK. Picture: Supplied
Lee Perkins, chief executive of Civica UK. Picture: Supplied
Melanie Schmidtke board chair of Schools Ministry Group. Picture: SMG
Melanie Schmidtke board chair of Schools Ministry Group. Picture: SMG

Schools Ministry Group – $6.025m, one department

Melanie Schmidtke, 46, is board chair at Schools Ministry Group, which offers pastoral care and student wellbeing services for more than 350 South Australian public schools.

Talent international (SA) – $5.98m, 10 department

Anthony Whyte is Adelaide managing director at Talent International (SA), which connects companies with contract and permanent professionals across various sectors.
Anthony Whyte MD Adelaide at Talent International (SA) Pty Ltd. Picture: Supplied
Anthony Whyte MD Adelaide at Talent International (SA) Pty Ltd. Picture: Supplied
Jason Trevethick, executive director at Paxus. Picture: Supplied
Jason Trevethick, executive director at Paxus. Picture: Supplied

Paxus Australia – $5.8m, nine departments

Jason Trevethick, 52, is executive director at Paxus Australia, a leading IT recruitment agency. He has been with the company for two decades.
Vikash Raniga, 53, of Queensland, is also a director at the company.
John Wentzel, 57, is also a director at Paxus Australia.
Praanesh Praasad, 59, is also listed as a director at the company.

Cowell Electric – $5.18m, one department

Susan Chase from Cowell Electric. Picture: File


Susan Chase from Cowell Electric. Picture: File
Susan Chase from Cowell Electric. Picture: File
Sue Chase, 65, is managing director at Cowell Electric, a powerline construction and electrical contracting company based on the Eyre Peninsula. The business was founded in 1928 to provide electricity to the Cowell township before there was a state grid.

PwC – $4.75m, 11 departments

Julian McCarthy is SA managing partner at beleaguered professional services firm PwC Australia. Mr McCarthy took on the top local role late last year after former SA managing partner Jamie Briggs left to become corporate affairs lead at Scyne Advisory.
PwC SA managing partner Julian McCarthy. Picture: Supplied by PwC
PwC SA managing partner Julian McCarthy. Picture: Supplied by PwC
Mark Phelps, Adelaide MD, Ernst & Young (EY). Picture: Jason Crowell
Mark Phelps, Adelaide MD, Ernst & Young (EY). Picture: Jason Crowell

Ernst & Young – $4.08m, six departments

Mark Phelps, 57, is Adelaide managing partner at professional services firm Ernst & Young. Mr Phelps was appointed to the role in 2018 following the resignation of former boss Don Manifold.

Dialog Group – $4.25m, three departments

Alan Key, 67, is the Queensland founder of Dialog Group, which was one of the country’s largest IT providers but now is part of the global communications firm Singtel after it was sold to the Singapore-based giant for $325m in 2022. He founded it with Robert “Bob” Tisdall, 73, who is now retired.
NCS chief executive Ng Kuo Pin, left, with Dialog’s Alan Key (middle) and Bob Tisdall after their company Dialog Group was acquired by Singtel subsidiary NCS for $325m in March 2022. Picture: supplied


NCS chief executive Ng Kuo Pin, left, with Dialog’s Alan Key (middle) and Bob Tisdall after their company Dialog Group was acquired by Singtel subsidiary NCS for $325m in March 2022. Picture: supplied
NCS chief executive Ng Kuo Pin, left, with Dialog’s Alan Key (middle) and Bob Tisdall after their company Dialog Group was acquired by Singtel subsidiary NCS for $325m in March 2022. Picture: supplied

Akkodis Australia Talent – $3.78m, eight departments

Peter Hawkins, 57, is chief executive and senior vice president of Akkodis Australia Talent, a recruitment firm focusing on technology and engineering which was formerly known as Modis Staffing Pty Ltd. He joined the company more than 18 months ago. 
Andrew Virgona is a director of Akkodis Australia Talent. Picture: LinkedIn
Andrew Virgona is a director of Akkodis Australia Talent. Picture: LinkedIn
Edward Hanks is a director of Akkodis Australia Talent. Picture: LinkedIn
Edward Hanks is a director of Akkodis Australia Talent. Picture: LinkedIn
Edward “Ed” Hanks, 44, is a director of Akkodis Australia Talent and is group reporting manager of Adecco Australia.
Andrew Virgona, 54, is also a director of Akkodis Australia Talent 

Surf Lifesaving SA – $3.6m, two departments

Damien Marangon, 47, is chief executive of Surf Life Saving South Australia, a position he has held for more than five years, having joined from Shooting Australia in April 2019. 
Surf Life Saving SA chief executive Damien Marangon. Picture: Matt Loxton
Surf Life Saving SA chief executive Damien Marangon. Picture: Matt Loxton
Sarah Cutbush, state president of Surf Life Saving South Australia. Picture: Emma Brasier
Sarah Cutbush, state president of Surf Life Saving South Australia. Picture: Emma Brasier

Chamonix IT Consulting – $3.38m, five departments

Emmanuel Bresson, 56, has been a director of Chamonix IT Consulting since 2010, which has been considered one of the state’s fast-growing information technology firms. 
David Sampson, 48, is also listed as a director of the company he has been involved with for almost 14 years. Scott Grigg and Jaime Potter are also directors, who are also involved in Expose Data firm. 
Emmanuel Bresson, director and consultant at Chamonix IT Consulting. Picture: LinkedIn
Emmanuel Bresson, director and consultant at Chamonix IT Consulting. Picture: LinkedIn
Peter Hawkins chief executive and senior vice president of Akkodis Australia Talent. Picture: LinkedIn


Aaron Reynolds operations director and co-owner of Pernix Pty Ltd. Picture: LinkedIn
Aaron Reynolds operations director and co-owner of Pernix Pty Ltd. Picture: LinkedIn
Wayne "Cully" Cullinan, who is a director of Pernix Pty Ltd. Picture: Supplied
Wayne "Cully" Cullinan, who is a director of Pernix Pty Ltd. Picture: Supplied
Wayne “Cully” Cullinan, 55, is a director and group chairman of Pernix Pty Ltd, who is also a well known businessman and director of other companies. 

Heli Surveys Pty Ltd – $2.36m, one department

Carl Bruce, 61, has been the director of NSW-based Heli Surveys Pty Ltd, a land care management business, for the past 20 years. It is based in the Snowy Mountains but also has remote bases in Victor Harbor and Victoria. 
Colin de Pagter, 62, has been a Heli Surveys Pty Ltd director since its inception in 2003. He and Mr Bruce also operate Snowy Mountains Helicopters. 
Carl Bruce, a director of Heli Surveys. Picture: LinkedIn
Carl Bruce, a director of Heli Surveys. Picture: LinkedIn
Stephen Mabbs from Escient. Picture: Daniel Marks
Stephen Mabbs from Escient. Picture: Daniel Marks

Escient Pty Ltd – $2.32m, five departments

Stephen Mabbs, 59, is a former soldier who has been chief executive for almost eight years and director of Escient Pty Ltd, a managing consultant firm that was once billed as among the country’s fastest growing businesses. 
Tom Stianos, 70, is the Melbourne-based non-executive chairman of Escient Pty Ltd, who also holds several other board positions.
Escient founders Tom Stianos, Stephen Mabbs and Tin Tran. Picture: File
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Mike Pitman, director and founder of SA Outback Company. Picture: SA Outback Company
Mike Pitman, director and founder of SA Outback Company. Picture: SA Outback Company

SA Outback Company Pty Ltd – $2.32m, one department

Michael “Mike” Pitman, 56, is founder and director of SA Outback Company Pty Ltd, which is a Fleurieu Peninsula building company founded in 2007 that specialises in country fencing and horse-related work.
Faith Mason, 59, has been a director of SA Outback Company Pty Ltd since 2014.

Expose Data Pty Ltd – $2.06m, five departments

Scott Grigg, 50, has been a director of Expose Data Pty Ltd since 2016 and is part of the bigger Chamonix Group having been in business for almost a quarter of a century.
Scott Grigg and Geoff Rohrsheim are also directors of Expose Data. Picture: Matt Loxton
Scott Grigg and Geoff Rohrsheim are also directors of Expose Data. Picture: Matt Loxton
Jamie Potter who is a director of Expose Data. Picture: LinkedIn
Jamie Potter who is a director of Expose Data. Picture: LinkedIn
Geoff Rohrsheim, 55, has been a director of Expose Data since last year after a five year hiatus. Mr Rohrsheim holds several other directorships including as deputy chairman of ASC. 
Jamie Potter, 55, has been a Victoria-based director of Expose Data since 2016. 

ISD Cyber – $2.02m, three departments

ISD Cyber co-founder, director Grant Hughes. Picture: ISD
ISD Cyber co-founder, director Grant Hughes. Picture: ISD
ISD Cyber managing director Yvonne Sears. Picture: ISD
ISD Cyber managing director Yvonne Sears. Picture: ISD
Grant Hughes, 45, is the Adelaide co-founder and director ISD Cyber, also known as ISDefence Pty Ltd, a consulting firm specialising in digital safety since 2017. 
Yvonne Sears, 46, is managing director of the firm with more than 24 years’ experience in information security and other privacy concerns. 

GHD – $1.99m, six departments

Jim Giannopoulos is the former state manager for GHD. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe
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Jim Giannopoulos is the former state manager for GHD. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe
Jim Giannopoulos is the former state manager for GHD. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe
Jim Giannopoulos, 62, earlier this month replaced Ashley Wright, 60, as chief executive of GHD, an engineering firm founded in Melbourne in 1928. He joined the company as a graduate chemical engineer more than 30 years ago and worked all over the world, most recently in North America. 

Fujitsu Australia Ltd – $1.94m, two departments

Chief executive of Fujitsu Asia Pacific Graeme Beardsell. Picture: LinkedIn
Chief executive of Fujitsu Asia Pacific Graeme Beardsell. Picture: LinkedIn

Edge Recruitment (SA) Pty Ltd – $1.94m, four departments 

Peta Seaman, managing director, of Edge Recruitment (SA) Pty Ltd. Picture: Supplied
Peta Seaman, managing director, of Edge Recruitment (SA) Pty Ltd. Picture: Supplied
Edge Recruitment (SA) Pty Ltd director Jane Carey, and former chief executive. Picture: Supplied
Edge Recruitment (SA) Pty Ltd director Jane Carey, and former chief executive. Picture: Supplied
Peta Seaman, 41, is the managing director of Edge Recruitment (SA) Pty Ltd, which was founded in 1998. The qualified hairdresser became boss last year after it merged with people2people.
Jane Carey, 49, is Edge Recruitment’s co-founder, former chief executive and now a director. 
Gary Beesley, 72, is a co-founder and director of the company and was a former MD.
Mark Smith, 53, is a director of the company after people2people merged with the business last year. 
Edge Recruitment (SA) Pty Ltd director Gary Beesley. Picture: LinkedIn
Edge Recruitment (SA) Pty Ltd director Gary Beesley. Picture: LinkedIn
Edge Recruitment (SA) Pty Ltd director Mark Smith. Picture: Supplied
Edge Recruitment (SA) Pty Ltd director Mark Smith. Picture: Supplied

Innodev – $1.9m, one department

Alan Key is also founder and director of Innodev, which is a subsidiary of Dialog Group. 

Adelaide University – $1.89m, 10 departments

Professor Peter Høj is the vice-chancellor and president of the University of Adelaide after working for various other universities including UniSA. He also sits on various boards after starting as an Adelaide university academic. 
University of Adelaide Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Høj. Picture: File
University of Adelaide Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Høj. Picture: File
Hendri Mentz, managing partner for Deloitte South Australia. Picture: File
Hendri Mentz, managing partner for Deloitte South Australia. Picture: File

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu – $1.88m, five departments

Hendri Mentz is Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu managing partner in SA, NT and Tasmania who has more than 25 years’ experience specialising in “risk and control transformation” after starting at rival “Big4” firm EY.

Hannan & Partners Pty Ltd – $1.81m, five departments

Mat Hannan, 48, is director and wing commander of Adelaide Hills-based Hannan & Partners Pty Ltd, which is a “full-service professional risk, security advisory and IT consulting firm”.
Hannan & Partners director Mat Hannan. Picture LinkedIn
Hannan & Partners director Mat Hannan. Picture LinkedIn
Craig Salmon and Nikki Harris. Picture: David Cronin
Craig Salmon and Nikki Harris. Picture: David Cronin

Peoplebank Australia – $1.697m, five department

Craig Salmon is the Adelaide-based SA state manager of Peoplebank Australia, which is a national recruitment firm founded in 1990.

Kiandra IT Pty Ltd – $1.62m, one department

IT company Kiandra. Left to right: Directors Cameron Brookes and Martin Cooperwaite with Laura Whitby at reception. Picture: Ian Currie
IT company Kiandra. Left to right: Directors Cameron Brookes and Martin Cooperwaite with Laura Whitby at reception. Picture: Ian Currie
Martin Cooperwaite, 49, is the other co-founder and director of Kiandra IT Pty Ltd, which was born with his university mate. 

SFDC Australia Pty Ltd – $1.62m, one department

Marc Benioff, chairman and co-chief executive of Salesforce.com: Picture: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
Marc Benioff, chairman and co-chief executive of Salesforce.com: Picture: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
Salesforce co-founder Parker Harris. source: Supplied
Salesforce co-founder Parker Harris. source: Supplied
SFDC Australia is known as SalesforceDotCom or Salesforce. San Francisco-based Marc Benioff, 59, and Parker Harris, 57, founded the tech company in 1999, which is now worth more than $AUD439bn and employs more than 70,000. Its executive vice president in Australia is Frank Fillmann.

Sayers Advisory Pty Ltd – $1.58m, one department

Melbourne-based Luke Sayers, is executive chairman and co-founder of Sayers Advisory Pty Ltd, which is an advisory and investment business founded in 2020. Mr Sayers, 54, is Carlton Football Club president and former chief executive officer of embattled accounting firm PwC.
Luke Sayers, who is also Carlton Football Club’s president and Cate Sayers at the Gather Round Welcome Dinner. Picture: Matt Loxton
Luke Sayers, who is also Carlton Football Club’s president and Cate Sayers at the Gather Round Welcome Dinner. Picture: Matt Loxton
Sayers Group co-founder Sammy Kumar. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicki Connolly
Sayers Group co-founder Sammy Kumar. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicki Connolly
Sameer “Sammy” Kumar, 56, is co-founder, director and chief executive officer who has more than 30 years experience in management consulting, mergers and acquisitions, risk management, strategy, technology as well as ventures. He is also a former PwC managing partner who sits on various boards.

Ventia Australia Pty Ltd – $1.58, five departments

Dean Banks, 52, is the Sydney-based managing director and group chief executive of Ventia Australia Pty Ltd since June 2022. 
Dean Banks chief executive of Ventia Australia. Picture: Britta Campion / The Australian
Dean Banks chief executive of Ventia Australia. Picture: Britta Campion / The Australian
David Moffatt (right) with Telstra's former chief executive Sol Trujillo in Melbourne. Picture: Stuart Mcevoy
David Moffatt (right) with Telstra's former chief executive Sol Trujillo in Melbourne. Picture: Stuart Mcevoy
Melbourne-based David Moffatt, 63, has been chairman since the formation of Ventia in 2015, according to its website. Sydney-based Mr Moffatt sat on boards or held executive roles with Telstra, GE Capital and other infrastructure services businesses.

Air Charter Australia Pty Ltd – $1.5m, one department

Wesley Matthews, 46, is director Air Charter Australia Pty Ltd, which is based on the Eyre Peninsula. 

Fields Group Pty Ltd – $1.49m, one department

Shane Fields, 50, is the NSW-based founder and managing director of Fields Group Pty Ltd, which is billed as Australia’s “security intelligence expert”. The company, founded in January 2011, focuses on corporate safety.

CRC – $1.45m, one department

Dr Michele Allan is chairwoman of CRC, which is a consortium of universities and other research organisations that provides advanced IT services and “intelligent” satellite systems. Victoria-based Dr Allan, 66, holds various directorships.
Dr Michele Allan is chairwoman of CRC. Picture: Supplied
Dr Michele Allan is chairwoman of CRC. Picture: Supplied
SmartSat chief executive Andy Koronios. Picture: Supplied
SmartSat chief executive Andy Koronios. Picture: Supplied
Professor Andy Koronios, 69, the company’s chief executive was most recently Dean of Industry & Enterprise at the University of South Australia after 15 years as its Head of the School of Information Technology & Mathematical Sciences.

Sooty Black Transport Pty Ltd – $1.38m, one department

Adelaide Hills-based Graham Black, 38, along with Nicola Black, 35, are co-directors of Sooty Black Transport Pty Ltd, which trades as Figure 8 Contracting. The company undertakes both regional and metropolitan fencing, yard building, earth works, providing solar pumps, frames, pipelines and troughs.

Industry Fund Services Ptd Ltd – $1.3m, one department

Felicity Pantelidis is chairwoman Industry Fund Services Ptd Ltd, a profit-to-member super funds that has operated since 1994. Ms Pantelidis, 50, holds several directorships and is deputy chief executive at Maurice Blackburn Lawyers in Melbourne. 
Csaba Baranyai, 39, is Victorian-based IFS chief executive officer, who has worked in the financial services industry for more than 20 years.

Aurecon Australasia Pty Ltd – $1.297m, five departments

Aurecon Australasia Pty Ltd chief executive William (Bill) Cox. Picture: LinkedIn
Aurecon Australasia Pty Ltd chief executive William (Bill) Cox. Picture: LinkedIn
Rudy Pieck managing partner, SA, and chairman of its partners for BDO Services Pty Ltd. Picture: Ben Macmahon
Rudy Pieck managing partner, SA, and chairman of its partners for BDO Services Pty Ltd. Picture: Ben Macmahon

BDO Services Ptd Ltd – $1,297m, 12 departments

Rudolph “Rudy” Pieck, is managing partner, SA, and chairman of its partners for BDO Services Pty Ltd, which is part of an international network of public accounting, tax, consulting and business advisory firms. A “revered tourism expert and wine connoisseur”, Mr Pieck, 55, has more than 35 years experience in public practice – 24 of which he’s served with BDO.

DXC Technology Australia – $1.29m, two departments

Managing director, ASEAN at DXC Technology Yves Cramazou. Picture: LinkedIn
Managing director, ASEAN at DXC Technology Yves Cramazou. Picture: LinkedIn
Stuart J.B. Bradie president and chief executive of KBR (formerly Kellogg Brown & Root). Picture: KBR
Stuart J.B. Bradie president and chief executive of KBR (formerly Kellogg Brown & Root). Picture: KBR

KBR – $1.23m, one department

Stuart Bradie, 57, is the global president and chief executive of KBR, formerly Kellogg Brown & Root, which he joined in 2014 after more than 30 years industry experience. The mechanical engineer leads the global company from its headquarters in Houston, Texas and Leatherhead, Surrey, southwest of London.

ZED Management Consulting, $1m, one department

Jonathan Cherian, managing director of ZED Management Consulting. Picture: LinkedIn

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Director at ZED Management Consulting Pam Zervas. Picture: LinkedIn
Director at ZED Management Consulting Pam Zervas. Picture: LinkedIn
Jonathan Cherian, 39, is managing director of ZED Management Consulting, which was founded than 15 years ago, according to its website. The company has more than 20 consultants, who focus on five areas including health, aged and disability care, education or Indigenous organisations.
Pam Zervas, 58, has been a director of ZED Consulting since the beginning when she co-founded the business in 2006, according to company records. Her online CV says she has more than 15 years’ experience within the SA public service.

Opex Nominees – $1.1m, one department

Michael Roberts, 54, founded Opex Nominees in March 2019, company records show. North Adelaide-based Mr Roberts has more than 20 years experience in business and provides help in construction, manufacturing, government, mining, oil and gas as well as defence. 

Deloitte Risk Advisory – $1.16m, five departments

Stephen “Steve” Jansz, aged in his 50s, is managing partner of Deloitte Risk Advisory. Mr Jansz, who has more than 20 years consulting experience including extensively across government, after he started with the former accounting firm Arthur Anderson. 


PwC hit by new tax row fallout

One of the country's biggest consultancy firms has been dumped from an official South Australian contract panel after a national tax scandal.

This has occurred despite assurances the SA practice was not enmeshed in the row.

Embattled “big four” firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, which was embroiled in a confidential information outrage, billed taxpayers almost $4.8m for 11 state government contracts last financial year.

The firm, which is subject of a multi-country Australian Federal Police investigation over the leaks imbroglio, gave paid help to departments, including Premier and Cabinet, Education, Energy and Mining, Attorney-General, as well as Trade and Investment.

It also audited Treasury's internal books, while providing other “checks and balance” advice, along with other external work for SA Health, Renewal SA, Housing Trust, Country Fire Service and office for the Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment.

But amid more scrutiny on consultant firms, PwC has been removed from the state government's preferred audit and financial services supplier panel, meaning it can't be considered for SA taxpayer work.

PwC was forced to sell its government consultancy business - valued at up to $1bn that employed more than 1750 people - for $1 to private equity operator Allegro Funds last year after a former senior tax consultant leaked to clients and partners confidential details obtained in government work.

Up to 30 partners and staff were involved.

In November last year, Scyne Advisory was born from the Allegro fire sale, with 100 PwC staff in SA moving, including Adelaide chief, former Liberal federal minister Jamie Briggs.

Scyne, which employs more than 1000 former PwC staff nationwide, has since successfully tendered for contracts with the Transport Department, SA Health and ReturnToWorkSA.

At the height of the scandal in May last year, Treasurer Stephen Mullighan sought assurances about access to SA government data. He said PwC had assured its SA practice was not tangled in the tax row.

Treasury also demanded “robust” steps at other professional services firms.

Mr Mullighan's spokeswoman revealed “PwC has been removed from the across government Audit and Financial Services supplier panel” in November last year. “Following the split in services, Scyne Advisory has been included in the supplier panel,” she said.

“However (it) cannot provide taxation advice, financial statement audits, or any services requiring an Australian Financial Services Licence.”

Mr Briggs, Scyne's national spokesman, said given the legacy of the business, former Federal Court judge Andrew Greenwood “undertook a rigorous investigation” of every staffer to ensure no scandal link.

PwC Adelaide managing partner Julian McCarthy declined to comment, as did a firm spokeswoman.