Two Ernst & Young graduate employees on secondment at Commonwealth Bank of Australia have been sacked after allegedly accessing the personal banking information of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
The Australian Federal Police charged two Sydney men, aged 21 and 25, in May after the bank detected irregular activity and identified unauthorized access to restricted data of a federal politician.
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Paul Issa, 21, faces charges of unauthorized access to restricted data and distributing personal information using a communications device.
Phillip Issa, 25, was charged with facilitating unauthorized access to restricted data.
Both men appeared before the Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, where their bail was extended until their next court appearance on August 25.
Details of the Breach
The incident occurred after EY deployed dozens of junior staff members, including a new cohort of graduates welcomed in March, to consult on technology systems at Australia's largest bank.
According to official registers of interest, the Prime Minister holds a savings account at Commonwealth Bank alongside a joint mortgage for a New South Wales Central Coast property.
Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers expressed deep concern over the security lapse during a press conference.
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"Not just in relation to the PM's details but any Australians' details," Chalmers said, emphasizing that privacy violations within domestic financial institutions are deeply troubling.
He noted that legal avenues must now run their course.
"I assume that there are now legal and other processes to play out and I don't want to get in the way of those," Chalmers added.
Representatives from the involved corporations have restricted their public statements due to ongoing legal proceedings.
"It was not appropriate to comment on individual contractor matters," a Commonwealth Bank spokesperson said.
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The Prime Minister's office declined to comment, while EY confirmed the terminations but declined further comment.
