The Western Australian government has formally expressed its dissatisfaction with a feasibility study produced by the consulting firm Deloitte. The report, which cost taxpayers $166,000, was intended to analyze the potential merger of the University of Western Australia, Curtin University, and Murdoch University. Following the delivery of the document, the government identified severe inaccuracies, including the presence of AI-hallucinated references and errors in the financial modeling that resulted in discrepancies worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

In response to these findings, the government is now seeking an expedited reimbursement of the fees paid for the study. The report had outlined three distinct merger scenarios categorized by cost, but the discovery of flawed data has rendered the analysis unreliable for policy decision-making. Deloitte has acknowledged the issues, though the specific internal process that led to the inclusion of AI-generated content remains a point of focus for government officials. The situation highlights ongoing concerns regarding the reliance on automated tools in professional consulting services and the accountability of firms when such errors impact public sector planning.