Christine Holgate says the chairman of Australia Post lied to Parliament over the Cartier watches scandal, accusing him of destroying her career and leaving the former chief executive in need of mental health support and medication.

In her first public comments since resigning in November over the purchase of $20,000 worth of luxury watches, Ms Holgate blamed chairman Lucio Di Bartolomeo for illegally forcing her resignation and seeking to double a non-compete clause in her contract as she departed.