Tom Minear: It’s time Australia Post gets back to basics

Christine Holgate’s questionable spending and a lack of transparency sums up how Australia Post has misunderstood its public obligations.

Australia Post is a $7.5bn business operating in a competitive, changing market. It is also owned by the federal government and, therefore, by the Australian people.

These competing facts are at the core of a cultural problem which has festered for too long.

Rewarding someone with a luxury gift might be normal in the private sector. But in a government-owned business, the optics are all wrong, especially one which already pays millions in bonuses.

During the pandemic, it took significant pressure for Australia Post boss Christine Holgate and her executives to forgo six-figure incentives. Her defence of the Cartier watches — no taxpayer money used — stemmed from the same attitude.

Holgate admitted her spending failed the “pub test” when she resigned.

Holgate is not solely to blame. Australia Post’s directors claim to understand the Australian people are their shareholders. And yet when those shareholders — through the Senate — asked for Australia Post to hand over a breakdown of credit card records last year, the organisation refused.

It has taken a Herald Sun investigation to publish the records for Australians to see how Holgate and her team spent money. Some of this is necessary to run a big and complex organisation. But some purchases appear to be questionable, and combined with a lack of transparency, it sums up how Australia Post has misunderstood its public obligations.

When Holgate resigned, she admitted failing the “pub test”. Her successor would do well to apply that simple standard to themselves.

During the pandemic, complaints about Australia Post soared as services were cut back, and letters and parcels were delayed or went missing. It’s time to get back to basics.