Australia Post chief Christine Holgate accuses PM of ‘humiliating’ her
Embattled Australia Post boss Christine Holgate claims she’s received no formal notification of being stood down, accusing PM of ‘humiliating’ her.
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Australia Post has rejected claims it did not properly notify Christine Holgate to stand down as chief executive, as the embattled boss accuses the Prime Minister of “humiliating” her.
In a statement released by her lawyers, Ms Holgate claimed she had not been formally notified by the board of Australia Post that she had been stood down while an investigation into luxury watches gifted to senior staff is carried out.
Ms Holgate has been criticised for rewarding her staff with $20,000 worth of Cartier watches and accused Prime Minister Scott Morrison of “humiliating” her in parliament.
Ms Holgate said she supported a “fair investigation”, but claimed she had not been formally notified by the Australia Post board about the process.
“Ms Holgate has not had any proper notification that she has been stood down from her role, nor has she been informed as to why she should be stood down,” Bryan Belling, partner at law firm Kingston Reid, said.
“Legally, in my opinion there are no grounds for Ms Holgate to be stood down, and ‘optics’ not a legally-valid defence.”
But a spokesman for Australia Post told The Daily Telegraph the board had been “communicating frequently” with Ms Holgate regarding the situation and “ensuring appropriate support has been provided”.
“The chair stands by his previously made statement on Thursday 22 October that Ms Holgate will stand aside and this was agreed to by both parties in a telephone conversation,” he said.
The statement from Ms Holgate’s lawyers also took aim at Mr Morrison, who told parliament last week he was “shocked and appalled” about the watch purchase.
“It is now exactly seven days since Ms Holgate was the subject of a humiliating answer during Question Time,” the statement said.
Mr Belling said Ms Holgate had also not been told about the investigation into the Cartier watch reward by Australia Post or the federal government.
He said under general employment law the Australia Post board were required to “formally” inform Ms Holgate she had been stood down, and on what grounds.
“This is the case under general employment law, as well as the specifics of Australia Post’s own employment regulations. The board has failed to do so,” Mr Belling said.
Ms Holgate told senate estimates last week her office had bought Cartier watches for four employees in October 2018 as reward for finalising a major deal with three major banks.