Qld chief scientist pleads guilty to $75,000 fraud
Queensland’s suspended chief scientist has pleaded guilty to defrauding the Government of about $75,000.
Suspended Queensland chief scientist Suzanne Miller has pleaded guilty to fraud and will be sentenced in May. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Suzanne Miller pleaded guilty in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday over fraud relating to her use of a state government-funded credit card to buy goods including a scooter and a drone.
She also admitted dishonestly gaining private health insurance worth $45,000.
Her guilty plea was to a single charge of fraud, after dozens of allegations were rolled into one.
Miller used the government credit card to buy $30,000 in personal goods, which also included a Polaroid camera and some pink LED lights between September 2013 and July 2017.
The private health insurance she dishonestly obtained was worth $45,000 when she was working as an employee of the Queensland Museum between February 2014 and July 2017.
Miller was appointed chief scientist in December 2016 and was the first woman to have held the post. She drew a salary of more than $400,000 a year from her dual roles as chief scientist and chief executive of Queensland Museum.
She was charged in July 2017 after an investigation by the state’s corruption watchdog.
Miller will be sentenced in May.
– AAP
