₹1.78 crore salary, ₹32 lakh in taxpayer-funded flights: Why former Tourism Australia CFO was sentenced

Former Tourism Australia CFO Quan Liu charged taxpayers nearly $50,000 for unauthorised business-class flights and upgrades to China. Although sentenced to 30 months in prison, she will serve her term in the community under an Intensive Correction Order. Here's what happened.

A former chief financial officer of Tourism Australia has been sentenced after using taxpayer-funded money to cover unauthorised business-class flights and upgrades worth nearly A$50,000 (approximately ₹32.39 lakh), while earning an annual salary of A$275,000 (around ₹1.78 crore).

Quan Liu, also known as Christine Liu, was sentenced to 30 months in prison by the NSW District Court. However, she will serve the sentence in the community under an Intensive Correction Order, according to reports.

The case relates to six trips to China over a 14-month period between 2022 and 2023, during which Liu allegedly obtained unauthorised business-class flights and upgrades at the expense of taxpayers.

How much did the former Tourism Australia CFO earn?

Liu earned an annual salary of A$275,000 (approximately ₹1.78 crore), while serving as the organisation's chief financial officer.

She was found to have improperly obtained nearly A$50,000 (around ₹32.39 lakh) in taxpayer-funded travel benefits through unauthorised business-class flights and upgrades.

The court ordered her to repay approximately A$13,000, or around ₹8.42 lakh, in addition to the A$36,000 (approximately ₹23.32 lakh) she had already repaid.

Why was Quan Liu sentenced?

Liu pleaded guilty to dishonestly obtaining a financial benefit from a Commonwealth entity and falsifying official documents in connection with her cousin's Australian business visa.

The charges were brought under Section 135.1(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 and Section 234(1)(c) of the Migration Act 1958.

The court considered several factors while determining the sentence, including Liu's remorse, rehabilitation, lack of previous convictions and the onset of major depressive illness, as well as concerns related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Judge Ross Hudson told Liu: “This a jail sentence but you’re servicing that jail sentence in the community,”

The judge also warned her “that this matter will never leave you”.

AFP's response to the case

AFP Detective Superintendent Luke Needham said public officials entrusted with taxpayer resources were expected to act with integrity.

“Those entrusted with public resources have a responsibility to act with integrity, and the AFP will not hesitate to investigate conduct which may breach this trust.”

The case highlights the accountability expected of senior executives handling public funds and the consequences of misusing taxpayer-funded resources.

About the Author

Anjali Thakur is a Senior Assistant Editor with Mint, reporting on trending news, entertainment and health, with a focus on stories driving digital conversations. Her work involves spotting early signals across news cycles and social media, sharpening stories for SEO and Google Discover, and mentoring young editors in digital-first newsroom practices. She is known for turning fast-moving developments—whether news-driven or culture-led—into clear, tightly edited journalism without compromising editorial rigour.<br><br> Before joining Mint, she was Deputy News Editor at NDTV.com, where she led the Trending section and covered viral news, breaking developments and human-interest stories. She has also worked as Chief Sub-Editor at India.com (Zee Media) and as Senior Correspondent with Exchange4media and Hindustan Times’ HT City, reporting on media, advertising, entertainment, health, lifestyle and popular culture.<br><br> Anjali holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miranda House, and is currently pursuing an MBA, strengthening her understanding of business strategy and digital media economics. Her writing balances newsroom discipline with a clear instinct for what resonates with readers.