Accounting firms could be asked to split their lucrative consulting services from their audit functions and individual firm partners could face far greater scrutiny and penalties for legal breaches, under a shake up of the industry being consulted on by the federal government.

Over the past four years, each of Australia’s major auditors has taken its turn depleting its own and the sector’s societal capital, each in a different way.

The government has unveiled wide-ranging plans to crack down on major accounting firms by giving ASIC the power to police and fine firms for the first time.