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Tourism Australia executive admits stealing from taxpayers and falsifying visa docs.

Joanna Hynds For Daily Mail Australia

A former government executive has admitted defrauding taxpayers of almost $50,000 through business-class trips to

China and falsifying official documents to help secure an Australian visa for her cousin.>Former Tourism Australia chief financial executive Quan Liu, also known as Christine Liu, 50, was ordered to repay public funds used to cover flights and accommodation over a 14-month period between 2022 and 2023.

The court heard the six business-class flights to China were taken so Liu could visit her parents, who were affected by Covid.

It also heard Liu forged a letter on Tourism Australia letterhead to support her cousin's Australian business visa application after his initial application was rejected, falsely implying she was travelling for work.

Crown prosecutor Richard Dixon said Liu had abused her position as a senior public servant.

'It wasn't just a one-off and each time she accepted those free tickets, she was on notice … every time she looked at the ticket, she knew what she was doing and it was something she took advantage of,' he said.

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Evidence heard by the court included Liu's police interview, during which she acknowledged she could have afforded to pay for the flights herself.

'It's quite stupid of me to go through all this ticketing with Tourism Australia because, like you said, I could've just paid for my own tickets,' she said.

Tourism Australia executive Quan Liu has admitted misusing $49,000 in taxpayer funds

Ms Liu took the six business-class flights to China to visit her parents, who were affected by Covid

Mr Dixon also criticised Liu's forged letter, saying it was intended to undermine the Australian Government's previous visa decision.

'The letter was to make it appear like her cousin had the imprimatur of Tourism Australia,' he said

'It said Tourism Australia had organised a site inspection tour, enabling the recipient of the letter to meet anyone in the travel industry.

“This letter was held out as an undertaking by the Australian Government to host this gentleman, essentially at all expenses. 

'The purpose of submitting this application on behalf of (her cousin) was to undermine the decision that had previously been made by the Australian Government,' Mr Dixon said.

There is no suggestion Liu's cousin or other family members were involved in, or aware of, her conduct.

Liu was fired from Tourism Australia in October 2023 and later forced to resign from her chief financial executive role at maritime company Polaris Marine, the court heard.

Liu's lawyer, Zoe Alderton, said her client had repaid all the money owed and had already suffered significant professional consequences.

Ms Alderton also argued that the pressures of the Covid pandemic, coupled with the burden of caring for her sick parents in China, had taken a toll on Liu's mental wellbeing.

Ms Liu also forged a letter on Tourism Australia letterhead to support her cousin's business visa application 

'Her judgement would have been very clouded at the time. This is not a clear-eyed, calculated course of conduct committed for financial gain,' she said.

Liu pleaded guilty to six counts of dishonestly intending to obtain a gain, one count of delivering documents containing a false statement and one count of abusing public office to gain an advantage.

Her sentencing was adjourned until November 6, 2026.