Three Tourism Australia staff fired for spending $137k of taxpayers’ money on personal holidays

Three Tourism Australia employees have been fired for spending almost $140,000 of taxpayers’ money on personal holidays, with the National Anti-Corruption Commission called in to investigate.

Tourism Australia is the Australian Government agency responsible for promoting Australia as a destination and attracting international visitors here.

The agency’s chief executive Phillipa Harrison confirmed three employees had been caught out having spent $137,441 on personal travel, when appearing before a Senate committee in Canberra on Tuesday.

In a statement read to the committee, Ms Harrison said she became aware of the breach of the agency’s travel policy in October last year, when it was detected by staff and “immediately reported and escalated”.

“The three employees undertook personal travel that was booked through Tourism Australia’s corporate travel agent and was invoiced to Tourism Australia,” she said.

“Tourism Australia demanded that the three individuals repay the full amount of this travel.”

Ms Harrison said $137,441 was fully repaid to Tourism Australia in December last year, and the three individuals no longer work there.

She said Deloitte was hired to do an extensive audit dating back to 2021 “to ensure that we understood the full extent of the issue” but “no further instances of wrongdoing were identified”.

“Off the back of the audit I have overseen a strengthening of our travel policy processes to ensure the conduct cannot be repeated,” she said.

She added the matter had been referred to the National Anti Corruption Commission (NAC) on January 25 and she was “awaiting response”.

But when questions began about who was involved, Ms Harrison said she was unable to answer.

“The NAC have advised me I’m unable to provide further details on the roles and the people involved until they have finished their investigations,” she said.

“They did not want me to disclose any other information because to do so may compromise current or potential investigations, and prematurely impact the reputation of individuals in circumstances where the legislation enacted by the Parliament intends to avoid that by requiring that investigations generally be conducted in private and that information concerning them not to be disclosed.”

Ms Harrison took a question on notice about the number of trips, where they were to and how much each cost.

Senator Ross Cadell, who wanted to know if the agency’s chief financial officer was involved and terminated, said he was thrown by the refusal to answer questions.

“I am shooketh, shaken, by not being able to ask these questions,” he said, before a short suspension was called to discuss the concerns.

On return, Ms Harrison officially claimed “public interest immunity”, and was told she would need to state the grounds and harm to public interest in writing.

Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell said it was the first time he was aware of the National Anti-Corruption Commission directing an official not to make a public statement.

“This does present some significant issues, which I myself would like to get clarified,” he said.

“You and I both voted for this legislation and obviously this is how it’s being applied. The witness obviously has to comply, I believe, with the direction of the NAC. She has no choice and I think the public interest immunity claim is the appropriate way to deal with it in the present circumstances.”