Eight partners have been shown the door by consultancy firm PwC following a high-profile confidentiality breach involving secret federal tax information.

Former chief executive Tom Seymour, who had already stepped down ahead of his retirement date, was on the list of names either directly involved with the information breach or in the firm’s handling of the fallout.

The other seven named on Monday were Peter Konidaris, Eddy Moussa, Richard Gregg, Pete Calleja, Sean Gregory, Peter van Dongen and Wayne Plummer.

Some have left and others are in the process of exiting PwC.

Their names are in addition to the four former partners, Michael Bersten, Peter Collins, Neil Fuller and Paul McNab, who had already been found to be involved in the confidentiality breach.

The move came as the tax leak scandal that has embroiled PwC was referred to the newly launched national anti-corruption body.

Greens senator Barbara Pocock has formally referred the matter to the independent National Anti-Corruption Commission. Senator Pocock said there were still plenty of questions to answer about the scandal, which is also being investigated by the Australian Federal Police.

“The PwC tax leaks scandal has been airing in public for the past five months and so far we know too little about who was at fault, who benefited and what consequences there will be,” she said.

“While we welcome the AFP investigation to prosecute appropriate criminal charges, there are wider issues that need to be addressed to ensure that our systems of government are not open to corruption.”

There may also be a public hearing into the broader issue of federal government use of contractors. In his first speech as the anti-corruption commissioner, Paul Brereton said the watchdog would consider such an inquiry without referring to specific allegations.

“One thing we will do in public is to conduct inquiries into corruption risks and vulnerabilities, and measures to prevent corruption, in Commonwealth agencies and in Commonwealth programs,” he said on Monday.

“For example, we may conduct a public inquiry into risks and vulnerabilities, not involving a specific allegation of corruption, in a program in which contractors are used by a government agency to deliver benefits intended for members of the public.”

PwC has been under pressure to reveal the identities of those involved in caught sharing information about a proposed crackdown on multinational tax avoidance with companies interested in avoiding their obligations.

The eight named so far as having received emails containing sensitive information falls well short of the 63 names handed to the federal government.

PwC has has also launched its own inquiry following revelations staff shared confidential tax information from the Treasury Department to drum up new business.

Acting chief executive Kristin Stubbins said it was clear some partners had behaved in a way that fell short of what was expected of them.

“They are now being held accountable for their misconduct,” she said.

“While we cannot change the past, we can control our actions today and in the future.”

– with AAP