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R K Roja is the new Tourism Minister of Andhra Pradesh

R K Roja was a leading actress in Tamil and Telugu cinema from 1991 to 2002. She has also acted in a few Kannada and Malayalam-language films. She was the recipient of three Nandi Awards and a Tamil Nadu State Film Award. Roja joined the Telugu Desam Party in 1999 and has been a member of the YSR Congress Party since 2011. She was elected to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly twice, in 2014 and 2019. She is also the state women’s president of the YSR Congress Party. Roja was the chairman of APIIC Andhra Pradesh from 2019 to 2021 until she was appointed as the new Tourism Minister of Andhra Pradesh yesterday.

Welcoming the new Tourism Minister on behalf of the Tours and Travels Association of Andhra (TTAA), K. Vijay Mohan who is also the ADTOI Chairman Andhra and Telangana said the association is looking forward to working closely with the new honourable Minister for promoting tourism sector in the state.

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• Andhra Pradesh govt comes up with new tourism policy

• Updated On Dec 20, 2020 at 11:59 AM IST

• Published On Dec 20, 2020 at 11:58 AM IST

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‘2023 - Visit AP Year’ to give boost to tourism

VIJAYAWADA: The State government will observe 2023 as ‘Visit Andhra Pradesh Year’ to promote tourism in a big way. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the Visit Andhra Pradesh 2023 campaign on Tuesday to mark the World Tourism Day.

The GIS web portal to guide visitors to tourist destinations was also launched to mark the occasion. Through this portal, tourists can plan their trips with useful information like distance between places, travel options, hotel accommodation and neighbouring attractions. The Tourism Department will play a key role to ensure the success of the Visit Andhra Pradesh 2023 campaign.

Through the campaign based programme, the Tourism Department will make the world aware of tourism opportunities in Andhra Pradesh. The unique campaign will be taken up to promote culture and heritage of the State. Andhra Pradesh is the first State in India to launch this kind of campaign to promote tourism in a big way.

The Chief Minister interacted with tribal Dhimsa dancers who came from Araku to mark the occasion. Tourism and Culture Department Special Chief Secretary Rajat Bhargava and other officials were present.

AP bags three tourism awards Andhra Pradesh bagged three National Tourism Awards 2018-19 that were presented by Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar in Delhi to mark World Tourism Day AP secured Comprehensive Development of Tourism, Hall of Fame Award The Union Ministry of Tourism said the Sunrise State of AP holds unmatched tourism potential AP Tourism Authority’s Coffee Table Book Seaside was the joint winner in Excellence in Publishing in English Tourism coffee table books - Seaside (In Russian) and Handcrafted (in Spanish and German) won Excellence in Publishing in Foreign Language award The Gateway Hotel, Vijayawada won the Best 5 Star Hotel award

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AP Ministers List 2024 TDP – Full List Of Andhra Pradesh Cabinet Ministers

Want to know the AP Ministers list in N Chandrababu Naidu’s Government? The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), led by N Chandrababu Naidu has won the recent assembly elections.

Chandrababu Naidu is set to swear in as the 18 th chief minister of Andhra Pradesh On June 9 th.

How many members will the new The AP cabinet ministers list 2024 include? We will update the names and portfolios of Andhra Pradesh Cabinet Ministers once there is an official announcement.

N Chandrababu Naidu of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) will take oath as CM on 9th June. Jagan Mohan Reddy will step down as CM.

As per the election commission’s site, the seats won by parties in the current election are:

Andhra Pradesh Cabinet After Reshuffle- Highlights

• R K Roja, an MLA from the Nagari constituency, will be part of the new AP cabinet
• The new AP ministers list include 11 ministers from the existing cabinet
• Total number of ministers excluding the CM – 25
• Peedika Rajanna Dora
• Budi Mutyala Naidu
• Kottu Satyanarayana
• K Narayana Swamy
• Shaik Amjed Basha

AP Ministers List 2024 YSRCP – Highlights

Here is the highlight of present Andhra Pradesh cabinet ministers

• Chief Minister : Jagan Mohan Reddy
• Ruling Party : YSRCP (Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party)
• Governor : S. Abdul Nazeer
• Number Of Minsters : 26 including the CM

AP Ministers List And Their Portfolios After The Cabinet Reshuffle

Below given are the AP ministers list 2024 and their portfolios.

Ministers Retained From Old Cabinet

#UPDATE | Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy revamps Cabinet, here is the list of the new team. pic.twitter.com/XtekKE5Gej — ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2022

AP Ministers List 2024 – FAQs

Who is the current andhra pradesh chief minister.

Jagan Mohan Reddy (Yeduguri Sandinti Jaganmohan Reddy), popularly known as Jagan, is the current Chief minister of Andhra Pradesh. He took office on May 30, 2019 after winning the 2019 assembly election with a landslide majority.

Who is AP Home Minister?

Taneti Vanita is the Andhra Pradesh home minister. She is elected from the constituency. She is the 2nd woman to hold the post in the state.

Who is AP Health Minister?

Vidadala Rajin is the new Andhra Pradesh Health Minister. She is elected from Chilakaluripet.

Who is AP Education Minister?

The current AP Education Minister is Botcha Satyanarayana who was elected to the Legislative Assembly from the Botcha Satyanarayana constituency.

Who is AP Finance Minister?

Buggana Rajendranath, elected from Dhone, is the AP Finance Minister. He also handles  the portfolios of Planning and Legislative Affairs.

Who is AP Revenue Minister?

Dharmana Prasada Rao is the Revenue Minister of AP.

Andhra Pradesh Ministers List – Changes Before The 2022 Cabinet Reshuffle

The IT minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy passed away recently and his portfolios including IT department has been reallocated to the following ministers:

• Dr Seediri Appalaraju – IT Industries, Skill Development
• Adimulapu Suresh -Law and Justice.
• Bugganna Rajendranath Reddy – Public Enterprises and NRI Empowerment
• Kursala Kannababu – General Administration Department

Read on to know all about the present AP Ministers list and portfolios. Jagan may reshuffle or change some of the cabinet ministers in July.

Former AP Ministers List And Their Portfolios – Before The 2022 Cabinet Reshuffle

During the 2020 cabinet reshuffle, two former ministers were changed as they were elected to Rajya Sabha. They are:

• Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose – He was the Deputy CM and was handling the portfolio of Revenue, Registration and Stamps
• Mopidevi Venkataramana : He was Animal Husbandry and Fisheries minister.

Here is a complete list of AP cabinet ministers, their portfolios, and contact details.

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AP Cabinet Ministers List 2023 in Telugu

View and download AP ministers list 2021 in Telugu PDF. To download AP cabinet ministers list in Telugu, click here

About YSRCP – The Ruling Party In AP

Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party or YSRCP is a regional party in India. The party was founded on 12 March 2011 by Yeduguri Sandinti Jaganmohan Reddy.

Jagan is the son of former Andhra CM Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy. Y. S. R was a member of Indian National Congress. Below is a quick fact about the party:

• Lok Sabha Seats: 22
• Rajya Sabha Seats: 6
• Assembly Seats: 151
• Election Symbol – Fan

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• Andhra Pradesh plans big for tourism sector with Visit-2023 campaign

• Nalla.Babu ,
• Updated On Apr 29, 2022 at 11:47 AM IST

Minister RK Roja vows to showcase Andhra Pradesh as top tourist destinations

The Nagari legislator visited the Tirumala Temple for the first time as a cabinet minister and offered prayers at the hill temple on Tuesday. She asserted that she will strive to promote tourism and rural sports in a "big way".

• By Nalla.Babu ,
• Published On Apr 29, 2022 at 11:40 AM IST

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Panama prepares to evacuate first island in face of rising sea levels

G ARDI SUGDUB, Panama (AP) — On a tiny island off Panama’s Caribbean coast, about 300 families are packing their belongings in preparation for a dramatic change. Generations of Gunas who have grown up on Gardi Sugdub in a life dedicated to the sea and tourism will trade that next week for the mainland’s solid ground.

They go voluntarily — sort of.

The Gunas of Gardi Sugdub are the first of 63 communities along Panama’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts that government officials and scientists expect to be forced to relocate by rising sea levels in the coming decades.

On a recent day, the island’s Indigenous residents rowed or sputtered off with outboard motors to fish. Children, some in uniforms and others in the colorful local textiles called “molas,” chattered as they hustled through the warren of narrow dirt streets on their way to school.

“We’re a little sad, because we’re going to leave behind the homes we’ve known all our lives, the relationship with the sea, where we fish, where we bathe and where the tourists come, but the sea is sinking the island little by little,” said Nadín Morales, 24, who prepared to move with her mother, uncle and boyfriend.

An official with Panama’s ministry of housing said that some people have decided to stay on the island until it's no longer safe, without revealing a specific number. Authorities won’t force them to leave, the official said on condition of anonymity to discuss the issue.

Gardi Sugdub is one of about 50 populated islands in the archipelago of the Guna Yala territory. It is only about 400 yards (366 meters) long and 150 yards (137 meters) wide. From above, it’s roughly a prickly oval surrounded by dozens of short docks where residents tie up their boats.

Every year, especially when the strong winds whip up the sea in November and December, water fills the streets and enters the homes. Climate change isn't only leading to a rise in sea levels, but it's also warming oceans and thereby powering stronger storms.

The Gunas have tried to reinforce the island’s edge with rocks, pilings and coral, but seawater keeps coming.

“Lately, I’ve seen that climate change has had a major impact,” Morales said. “Now the tide comes to a level it didn’t before, and the heat is unbearable.”

The Guna’s autonomous government decided two decades ago that they needed to think about leaving the island, but at that time it was because the island was getting too crowded. The effects of climate change accelerated that thinking, said Evelio López, a 61-year-old teacher on the island.

He plans to move with relatives to the new site on the mainland that the government developed at a cost of $12 million. The concrete houses sit on a grid of paved streets carved out of the lush tropical jungle just over a mile (2 kilometers) from the port, where an eight-minute boat ride carries them to Gardi Sugdub.

Leaving the island is "a great challenge, because more than 200 years of our culture is from the sea, so leaving this island means a lot of things,” López said. “Leaving the sea, the economic activities that we have there on the island, and now we’re going to be on solid ground, in the forest. We’re going to see what the result is in the long run.”

Steven Paton, director of the Smithsonian Institution’s physical monitoring program in Panama, said that the upcoming move “is a direct consequence of climate change through the increase in sea level.”

“The islands on average are only a half-meter above sea level, and as that level rises, sooner or later the Gunas are going to have to abandon all of the islands almost surely by the end of the century or earlier.”

“All of the world's coasts are being affected by this at different speeds,” Paton said.

Residents of a small coastal community in Mexico moved inland last year after storms continued to take away their homes. Governments are being forced to take action, from the Italian lagoon city of Venice to the coastal communities of New Zealand .

A recent study by Panama’s Environmental Ministry’s Climate Change directorate, with support from universities in Panama and Spain, estimated that by 2050, Panama would lose about 2.01% of its coastal territory to increases in sea levels.

Panama estimates that it will cost about $1.2 billion to relocate the 38,000 or so inhabitants who will face rising sea levels in the short- and medium-term, said Ligia Castro, climate change director for the Environmental Ministry.

On Gardi Sugdub, women who make the elaborately embroidered molas worn by Guna women hang them outside their homes when finished, trying to catch the eye of visiting tourists.

The island and others along the coast have benefitted for years from year-round tourism.

Braucilio de la Ossa, the deputy secretary of Carti, the port facing Gardi Sugdub, said that he planned to move with his wife, daughter, sister-in-law and mother-in-law. Some of his wife’s relatives will stay on the island.

He said the biggest challenge for those moving would be the lifestyle change of moving from the sea inland even though the distance is relatively small.

“Now that they will be in the forest their way of living will be different,” he said.

Juan Zamorano reported from Panama City.

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Slovakia’s Prime Minister Fico posts a speech online in a first since his attempted assassination

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico has appeared for the first time since an assassination attempt three weeks ago. Fico posted a prerecorded speech on his Facebook page on Wednesday, ahead of the European Parliament election. Fico said the attack on him caused serious damage to his health and “it will be a small miracle if I return to work in several weeks.” Fico has been recovering from multiple wounds after being shot in the abdomen as he greeted supporters on May 15 in the town of Handlova, about 140 kilometers (85 miles) northeast of the capital, Bratislava.

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General Election Results, 2024

The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for the 2024 General Elections to the 18th Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim on March 16, 2024. The elections, including certain bye-elections, were conducted in seven phases, ensuring a smooth and comprehensive electoral process across the vast and diverse country.

Phase 1 of the elections commenced on April 19, 2024, with a voter turnout of 66.14%. The turnout slightly increased to 66.71% in Phase 2, held on April 26, 2024. Phase 3, which took place on May 7, 2024, saw a turnout of 65.68%. Notably, Phase 4, conducted on May 13, 2024, recorded the highest voter turnout at 69.16%, demonstrating peak participation. The turnout dipped in Phase 5, held on May 20, 2024, to 62.2%. Phase 6 on May 25, 2024, had a turnout of 63.37%, while Phase 7, the final phase held on June 1, 2024, recorded a turnout of 61.63%.

The successful execution of these phases was a testament to the dedication of voters, political parties, candidates, election personnel, and security forces. Their collective efforts ensured the democratic process was upheld and strengthened. The active participation of the electorate, despite the challenges, highlighted the resilience and vibrancy of Indian democracy.

The counting of votes commenced on June 4, 2024, starting at 8 AM marking a pivotal moment in determining the country's future leadership. Detailed constituency-wise results are available on the Election Commission of India (ECI) .

The 2024 General Elections exemplified the strength of democratic processes and the importance of civic responsibility. India's ability to conduct such an extensive electoral exercise successfully underscores its robust democratic institutions and the enduring spirit of its people.

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AP Week in Pictures: Asia

Mt. Fuji is seen through a hole on a black screen installed across from a convenience store in Fujikawaguchiko town, Yamanashi prefecture, central Japan on May 24, 2024. The town that erected the huge black screen last week in an attempt to stop tourists from snapping photos of Mount Fuji and overcrowding the area has discovered holes in the screen and is working to repair them, officials said Tuesday. (Kyodo News via AP)

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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a joint news conference in Seoul, South Korea Monday, May 27, 2024. (Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP)

A worker chases monkeys away from a customer in front of an auto-part shop in Lopburi Province, north of Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 24, 2024. A Thai town, run ragged by its ever-growing population of marauding wild monkeys, began the fight-back, Friday, using trickery and ripe tropical fruit. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Supporters for both ruling and opposition parties demonstrate at the legislative chamber building in Taipei, Taiwan, Tuesday, May 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Vehicles move through a waterlogged street in Kolkata, India, as rain continues after cyclone Remal made a landfall near Bangladesh-India border, Monday, May 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

Commuters travel in a crowded bus in Kolkata, India, as rain continues after cyclone Remal made a landfall near Bangladesh-India border, Monday, May 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

A man salvages a cart and other material as water flows on to the Kuakata beach on the coast of Bay of Bengal caused by the advancing Cyclone Remal in Barisal, Bangladesh, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdul Goni)

Cranes at a construction site in the Central Business District are reflected on a window panels of an office building in Beijing, Sunday, May 26, 2024. The International Monetary Fund has upgraded its forecast for China’s economy, while warning that consumer-friendly reforms are needed to sustain strong, high-quality growth. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Kolkata Knight Riders’ captain Shreyas Iyer , left, with teammate Venkatesh Iyer celebrate after wining against Sunrisers Hyderabad during the Indian Premier League cricket final match in Chennai, India, Sunday, May 26, 2024.(AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Workers take refuge beneath a parked truck from the scorching heat, in Guwahati, India, Saturday, May 25, 2024. Most parts of the north India are sweltering under scorching temperatures with the capital New Delhi under a severe weather alert as extreme temperatures strike parts of the country. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

Members of The Korea Medical Association stage a rally calling for the government to scrap the medical reform plan in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 30, 2024. A South Korean court ruled in favor of the government’s contentious push to drastically boost medical school admissions on May 16, posing a setback to concerted efforts by incumbent doctors to spike the plan. The banners read “Broken medical policy.” (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

A firefighter moves among burnt debris the day after a fire broke out in an amusement park in Rajkot, India, Sunday, May 26, 2024. A massive fire damaged a large part of the park on Saturday, killing more than twenty people and injuring some others, news reports said. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Honor guard members line up before a welcome ceremony for Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Wednesday, May 29, 2024. (Tingshu Wang, Pool Photo via AP)

May 24-30, 2024

A Japanese town that erected a huge black mesh net last week to stop tourists from snapping photos of Mount Fuji discovered holes in the screen. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang for the first trilateral meeting in four years. Lopburi, in central Thailand, began efforts to control its monkey population, luring them into cages with fresh fruit, before finding them new homes.

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‘She has no choice’: NACC called in to investigate Tourism Australia after holiday expenses scandal

After Crikey revealed three staff went on private holidays using $137k of taxpayer funds, Tourism Australia has now confirmed the NACC is involved.

Anton Nilsson

Jun 05, 2024

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has been asked to investigate the $137,441 travel expense scandal at Tourism Australia, first revealed by Crikey in April .

Managing director Phillipa Harrison claimed immunity from questions about the scandal at Senate estimates late Tuesday night, saying she had been advised by the NACC not to divulge too many details “until they have finished their investigations”. 

“Their advice was very, very clear to us that 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,” Harrison said, appearing to be reading from written advice.

According to information previously made available to Crikey, the scandal involved a senior Tourism Australia employee and two of their China-based colleagues who were fired last year for blowing taxpayer money on personal holiday trips. 

Crikey asked Tourism Australia on April 17 whether the matter had been referred to the NACC, and, if so, when, but the agency refused to confirm.

“All reporting obligations were complied with within an appropriate time frame,” was the answer given at the time. 

Crikey had also contacted the NACC for comment, and a spokesperson replied that the commission was unable to comment on the existence of an investigation. 

The Australian Federal Police told Crikey on April 19 it was “not aware of this matter”.

At estimates, Harrison revealed the NACC had been contacted on January 25. She also said Tourism Australia had engaged the consultancy firm Deloitte to “carry out a thorough forensic audit stretching back to 2021”.

“No further instances of wrongdoing were identified,” she said. 

Trade Minister Don Farrell told the hearing the immunity claim based on NACC advice was a “first” at a budget estimates session. 

“I have to say this is the first time in my experience where a direction from the NACC has directed an official not to make a public statement,” Farrell said. 

Addressing Nationals Senator Ross Cadell, who was asking questions about the scandal, Farrell went on: “This does present some significant issues which I myself would like to get clarified. 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 NACC. She has no choice.”

The minister went on to say he would seek to get “more information on what the government’s responsibilities, and the department’s responsibilities” are in instances where NACC advice would prevent the Senate from asking questions. 

While Harrison refused to divulge the identities of the three people fired, she did appear to inadvertently confirm parts of Crikey’s previous reporting. In response to a question from Cadell about who the corporate travel provider was that the three employees had used to book their holiday trips, Harrison let slip a comment that seemed to confirm the incident was related to Tourism Australia’s China office. 

“[The travel provider] is FCM in China… and also here in Sydney,” Harrison said. 

Asked by Cadell if any law enforcement organisations in China had been made aware of the incident, Harrison said: “I’m not saying that it was a China issue necessarily.”

Pressed further, she conceded no international authorities had been contacted about the incident. 

About the Author

Politics Reporter @antonknilsson

Anton Nilsson is Crikey's federal political reporter. He previously covered NSW Parliament for NCA NewsWire, and before that, worked for Sweden's Expressen newspaper as well as other publications in Sweden, Australia and the United States.

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Interesting that big 4 corrupt rip off merchant Deloittes have been invited to the trough. I thought we were trying to ease up on dealing with big 4 crooks. Was I a bit naive, again?

I don’t recall any decision not to avoid them, just a bit of frowning and tut-tutting for a few days, except for PwC after the bad smell from its ATO tax dodging frolic. And we already know the government’s willing to let bygones by bygones with PwC too. Because it was all so long ago, and nobody wants to carry grudges, and lessons have been learned…

That’s the main thing: lessons are always learned. The biggest lesson is that there are never any consequences for the real villains, even if the occasional scapegoat is sacrificed.

Really good get, Crikey. Well done to all.

And herein lies the problem with a secret squirrel NACC. We’ll never know if this matter is investigated or not.

Makes you wonder if Dreyfus’ legislation to keep NACC referrals or investigations quiet is because neither Labor nor Liberal govts want the rest of us to see or know what’s going on because they know it would undermine confidence In govt generally, regardless of which was in govt. It also protects each party from the other so there’s no finger-pointing by whichever is in Opposition

This goes beyond the issue of not holding public hearings. Now we see the NACC is now being used as a tool to suppress any revelations about a matter of serious public interest. It is therefore protecting and facilitating corrupt conduct. This will surely not be the only time. Way to go, our Lib/Lab/Nat masters and all their mates!

No pollie will rock the boat SSR, when they could be the next one in the firing line.

It is just me but does TOURISM AUSTRALIA MANAGING DIRECTOR PHILLIPA HARRISON bear a resemblance to her less than illustrious predecessor SCOMO? Or maybe it’s both appearance and demeanor?

How can I join in these incredible rorts? I thought it was pretty special that Woolies gave me a $15 gift voucher for complaining to them about one of their home-brand products.

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Corruption watchdog called in to investigate Tourism Australia travel expenses scandal

The National Anti-Corruption Commission has been asked to investigate revelations three Tourism Australia staff charged taxpayers $137,441 for personal travel expenses.

The staff have since been sacked from the agency, which is responsible for promoting Australia's tourism industry abroad.

Appearing before a Senate committee in Canberra, Tourism Australia chief executive Phillipa Harrison said the spending had been uncovered in October 2023 when the agency's own staff detected the misuse of funds.

The incident was referred to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) for further investigation on January 21 this year.

"The three employees undertook personal travel that was booked through Tourism Australia's corporate travel agent, and was invoiced to Tourism Australia," she told the committee.

"Tourism Australia demanded that the three individuals repay the full amount of the travel, and that full amount was $137,441, and that was fully repaid to Tourism Australia in December 2023."

Ms Harrison was reluctant to go into further detail about the incident, saying Tourism Australia was awaiting a response from the NACC about the situation.

New South Wales Nationals senator Ross Cadell wanted more information about who the sacked staff were, and used his questions in the committee to ask whether the agency's chief financial officer was among those involved.

"The NACC has advised me that I'm unable to provide the further details on the roles and the people involved until they have finished their investigations," Ms Harrison responded.

"To do so may compromise current or potential investigations, and prematurely impact the reputations of individuals in circumstances.

"The legislation enacted by parliament intends to avoid that by requiring that investigations, generally, be conducted in private and that information concerning them is not to be disclosed."

No details provided on destinations of travel, yet

Ms Harrison did commit to providing Senator Cadell with details on how many trips were booked by the staff, and the destinations for the travel.

"I am shooketh by not being able to ask these questions," Senator Cadell quipped.

The committee hearing was briefly suspended to allow senators to discuss the concerns about Tourism Australia staff not answering questions.

Tourism and Trade Minister Don Farrell said Ms Harrison would make a public interest immunity claim to outline the situation.

"I have to say, this is the first time in my experience where a direction from the NACC has directed an official not to make a public statement," he said.

"This does present some significant issues which I myself would like to get clarified.

"You and I both voted for this legislation and obviously this is how it's being applied. The witness, obviously, has to comply with the direction of the NACC, she has no choice."

Ms Harrison said Senator Farrell's office had been made aware of the situation in late 2023.

The matter has not been referred to authorities. 

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