‘In my country, gifts like this are often given’: Businessman sentenced over $20k hidden in tea

A Chinese businessman who disguised $20,000 cash in a gift box of breakfast tea in a bid to speed up his solar company’s applications before Australia’s Clean Energy Council was heard saying he knew it was “against the law”.

Guoxin Zhu, 40, who worked for Growatt, a Chinese-based renewable energy company, pleaded guilty in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday.

The court heard Zhu had organised to meet with an official from the council at a cafe in Camp Hill, in Brisbane’s south, in July when he handed her a gift of tea, which also contained the cash.

The council’s manager reported the offending promptly, the court heard. She is not accused of any wrongdoing.

Zhu was later arrested at Sydney Airport while he was trying to board an international flight.

As the primary body of renewable energy in Australia, the Clean Energy Council managed approvals for solar and battery products, which were also connected to federal government rebates, Raut said.

He said Zhu had organised to meet the manager twice, and openly discussed with her the possibility of expediting his application. She told Zhu she could not accept gifts.

“What is also concerning, then [Zhu] has realised, OK, here, the manager is not going to accept anything directly,” Raut said.

“Then, in a deceptive manner, he says it’s only tea, Chinese tea, it’s a cultural thing.

“What is then shocking to the manager when she opens the box later at home, that’s when she finds the $20,000 cash.”

Raut submitted Zhu, who has been in custody for about a month, should serve a 12 to 15 months’ suspended jail sentence, which would deter future offending.

In a letter from Zhu to the court, the 40-year-old claimed: “When I committed this offence, I had no idea this type of conduct was viewed so seriously by the law. I just did not know it was a serious offence.

“In my country, gifts like this are often given. I did not intend to do anything which was disrespectful to Australia or Australian culture.”

Zhu’s barrister, Saul Holt KC, argued his client was seeking to expedite the process before the council, rather than the approval itself.