The government still spends billions of dollars a year on external consultants, with many contracts likely falling just beneath the disclosure level, according to the Centre for Public Integrity (CPI). Exclusive CPI research shows the APS spent $742.1 million on consultancy contracts over the $2 million disclosure threshold last financial year. More than half ($394 million) was for management advisory services. The next biggest category, environmental management services, accounted for $59.7 million — around 8.1%. Research director Gabrielle Appleby said the numbers raise questions about the APS’s structural reliance on consultants.