He is adamant that the report from PricewaterhouseCoopers tax partner John Whiting cannot be impartial because he expressed views early in March which, Senator Syvret says, showed that he supported the introduction of sales tax.But that view is rejected by Finance and Economics president Senator Terry Le Sueur.
He argues that his committee has had no influence over Mr Whiting and is ‘entirely happy with the independence and objectivity he brings to this project’.However, Senator Syvret says that, as a leading firm of accountants, PricewaterhouseCoopers has a commercial interest in the outcome of taxation changes and both the firm and Mr Whiting should have decided they were ‘conflicted out’ from carrying out the analysis on behalf of the Finance and Economics Committee.The Senator argues that PricewaterhouseCoopers ‘has a client and political relationship’ with the States.But Senator Le Sueur says that Senator Syvret’s comments are a ‘slur’ on the professional integrity of both Mr Whiting and the firm he works for.
