William Wee Liat Tan: Ms Oceania beauty pageant to rebrand after child abuse charges against CFO
Beauty pageant executives have acted swiftly after their CFO was charged with running an online network called ‘Joy of Rape’.
The Australian beauty pageant co-founded by a Brisbane medical entrepreneur accused of heinous child exploitation material offences will undergo a “complete rebranding process” and refund event tickets.
William Wee Liat Tan, 48, who appears to have now been dumped as the Chief Financial Officer of Ms Oceania, was an alleged administrator for the online child abuse network ‘Joy of Rape’.
Police allege he was also active in a number of other online child abuse networks.
When police raided Tan’s properties in Fortitude Valley and Fitzgibbon on Sunday they allegedly uncovered child exploitation material depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants.
A large number of mobile phones, computers and storage devices were seized by investigators.
Tan, who founded Sieverts Group of Companies which largely relate to the radiation safety industry, also co-founded Ms Oceania which billed itself as Australia’s “premier beauty pageant”.
In a statement on social media the beauty pageant said its “hearts go out” to alleged victims and it recognised “the emotional impact this news can have on our community and individuals affiliated with the Ms. Oceania brand”.
“Effective immediately, Mr Tan’s engagement with Ms Oceania has been terminated. Ms Oceania will not have any ongoing or future affiliation with him. We would like to emphasise that the alleged actions of one individual do not reflect the character, ethics or professionalism of the many people who have dedicated their time and talents to Ms. Oceania,” the statement said.
“Following legal consultation, all future events under the Ms Oceania brand have been cancelled effective immediately. All ticket sales for the Coronation Gala Night scheduled for 8 November 2025 will be refunded in full.
“The management team has decided to retire the Ms Oceania name. We will undertake a complete rebranding process, guided by the true spirit of pageantry.”
Also in a statement the domestic violence charity Open Haven referred to Tan as a “former” fundraising ambassador.
“We can confirm Mr Tan only supported fundraising events at our organisation and had no contact with our services, clients or their children,” it said.
Tan is charged with three counts of use carriage service to distribute child abuse material, two counts each of possessing child exploitation material, administering child exploitation material website, possessing child abuse material obtained using a carriage service, use carriage service to access child abuse material and one count each of use carriage service to make available child abuse material, use carriage service to groom persons 16 years of age and encouraging offence against division 272.
His case is scheduled to be in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday.
