Pauline Hanson slams Australia Post over taxpayer-funded party

An angry Pauline Hanson has accused Australia Post executives of spending big on a taxpayer-funded party after dismissing Christine Holgate over the watches scandal.

Australia Post executives have been accused of hosting a $500,000 taxpayer-funded corporate bash — held simultaneously at lavish venues across the country — just months after former CEO Christine Holgate lost her job over $20,000 in watches gifted to top managers.

In a fiery hearing on Monday, One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson launched a broadside at Australia Post board members for a case of double standards, accusing them of seeing off Ms Holgate for her supposed profligacy while lavishing money on itself for a party just last week.

Raising the issue of the organisation’s annual Isaac Awards, held last Wednesday at locations including Pier One in Sydney and the Plaza Ballroom in Melbourne, Ms Hanson asked whether it was reasonable according to “public expectation” to spend money on a “black tie” party.

Senator Pauline Hanson during the Australia Post hearing in Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“Public expectation was the word today … the CEO, she gets thrown under the bus and she loses her job over $20,000,” said Ms Hanson, who has been one of parliament’s most vocal critics of Australia Post’s handling of Ms Holgate’s departure.

“But I wonder what the Prime Minister is going to say about the board spending half a million dollars on this cocktail party.”

Ms Hanson also accused executives of using the event to poke fun at the Senate inquiry and asked Australia Post general counsel Nick Macdonald if he made jokes about “taking questions on notice” on the awards night.

Australia Post held a lavish awards event in every state across the country last week. This grab shows the event which took place in Melbourne.

“I was asked about appearing at Senate estimates because people would see me on television, which is not where I usually appear,” Mr Macdonald said, denying the allegations.

“And I was asked about that experience and I said that it was ... you get questions on all sorts of things, I gave some examples (but) I didn’t say I’ll take that on notice.”

The exchange took place just hours after Ms Holgate’s lawyer, top reputational risk expert Rebekah Giles, issued an ultimatum asking that the government enter into mediation with the ex-CEO by Wednesday or wind up in court.

“Given there appears to be an absence of agreement to mediate this matter expeditiously, Ms Holgate will now have no option but to consider her legal options,’’ Ms Giles said.

Originally published as Pauline Hanson slams Australia Post over taxpayer-funded party