Bullock says RBA will re-tender KPMG whistleblower hotline contract amid scandals

Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock admitted the central bank used KPMG's audit and whistleblower hotline services. (AAP Image: Dan Himbrechts)

The Reserve Bank will re-tender its whistleblower hotline service contract after KPMG has been caught up in a swirl of scandals.

Governor Michele Bullock says KPMG, engaged by the Australian National Audit Office, audits the bank's financial statements.

The Greens have called on the federal government to ban KPMG from all government contracting work.

The Reserve Bank is distancing itself from KPMG, with Governor Michele Bullock confirming the bank will re-tender its whistleblower hotline service contract.

Fronting the Senate Economics Committee on Thursday, Ms Bullock admitted the central bank used KPMG's audit and whistleblower hotline services.

When asked about the "actual reality of the relationship" between the RBA and KPMG, the governor explained: "We don't have a direct relationship with them [KPMG] … they are engaged by ANAO [Australian National Audit Office] to do the audit of the financial statements."

KPMG, one of the Big Four consulting firms, has recently been caught up in a swirl of scandals, including allegations that its audit partners accessed confidential client documents to win contracts and reports of the mistreatment of a whistleblower.

In response, Ms Bullock told the committee that the RBA would not reappoint KPMG to the whistleblower service.

The RBA also has had a contract with KPMG for foreign employee recruitment services.

The Australian Greens party has called on the federal government to ban KPMG from all government contracting work.

Greens Senator Barbara Pocock said the government must stop allowing the 'Big Four' to self-regulate. (ABC news: Ian Cutmore)

The government holds dozens of active audit contracts with KPMG worth $27.4 million across various departments, including CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology, according to the Greens.

Greens Senator Barbara Pocock said it was clear that KPMG's rot spanned far and wide in government.

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"The government must stop allowing the Big Four to self-regulate," Ms Pocock said in a statement.

"Labor needs to put an end to their special treatment — on tax, public reporting, professional liability and whistleblower protections — and regulate the Big Four like other large Australian firms."

Last year, the Greens introduced a bill to forbid "dodgy contractors" from getting government work, including debarring any potent