An employee at one of Australia's big four accounting firms has been sacked after he and another man allegedly accessed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's personal banking account. The men, aged 21 and 25, faced court on Tuesday over the breach, which Australian Federal Police (AFP) alleged occurred when the EY graduate was on secondment at the Commonwealth Bank.
Charges Laid Against Both Men
Paul Issa, 21, was charged with accessing restricted data without authorisation as well as distributing personal data. Phillip Issa, 25, was charged with facilitating unauthorised access to restricted data. The two Sydney men were charged on 6 May and granted bail to appear before Downing Centre local court on Tuesday, an AFP spokesperson said in a statement. Both men had their bail continued until their next court appearance on 25 August.
Details of the Breach
According to his register of interests, Albanese holds a savings account at Commonwealth Bank as well as a mortgage for a property on the New South Wales Central Coast that he jointly owns with his wife. The breach has raised concerns about data security and the handling of sensitive personal information.
Government and Corporate Response
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said any breaches of that kind were “incredibly concerning”. “Not just in relation to the PM’s details but any Australians’ details,” he told reporters. A Commonwealth Bank spokesperson said it was not appropriate to comment on individual contractor matters. A spokesperson for EY declined to comment, but confirmed the former employee was no longer working at the firm.
Broader Context of Professional Services Scrutiny
The big professional services firms have come under increased scrutiny of late, after scandal engulfed rivals KPMG and PwC for leaking confidential information about client audits and tax policy, respectively. This incident adds to the growing concerns over data security and ethical practices within such organisations.
