Explosive emails shed new light on the Australia Post stubby holder saga

Former AusPost boss Christine Holgate pushed for the police to be called, after the City of Melbourne blocked the delivery of controversial stubby holders from Pauline Hanson to public housing residents.

Former Australia Post chief Christine Holgate said it would be a “cop out” not to call the police over the City of Melbourne’s refusal to deliver offensive stubby holders from Pauline Hanson to residents of locked down public housing towers.

Australia Post bosses also discussed Ms Holgate calling the One Nation leader directly after contacting the Australian Federal Police at the height of the saga.

An explosive cache of documents sheds new light on the drama, which unfolded when One Nation sent the stubby holders — with a note saying “no hard feelings” — to public housing residents in lockdown in July.

The stubby holder which One Nation tried to send. Picture: Supplied

The emails reveal City of Melbourne chief Justin Hanney slammed Ms Holgate’s “pretty disappointing” decision to threaten to call the AFP, and asked her to “reflect on the ramifications of delivering such an offensive product”.

He had already told police the stubby holder delivery — which said “I’ve got the guts to say what you’re thinking” — could amount to a crime of using the postal service to “menace, harass or cause offence”.

Australia Post responded by threatening to call the police too, with general counsel Nick Macdonald saying it was of “very serious concern” that the council blocked the delivery.

Mr Hanney told Ms Holgate the stubby holders would cause “great offence and conflict to a group of very vulnerable people … in a highly emotionally charged and volatile state”.

Australia Post did not back down, as handwritten meeting notes show Ms Holgate advocated for calling the police, and said: “CH to call Pauline after note goes.”

A One Nation operative told Australia Post the packages were “time sensitive and in public interest need to be delivered to the residents”.

Within days, an Australia Post staff member left a message for Ms Hanson, but Ms Holgate later denied they spoke. Mr Hanney’s AFP complaint was soon withdrawn.

Former Australia Post boss Christine Holgate. Picture: Gary Ramage

Shortly afterwards, Ms Holgate and three executives flew to Brisbane to give Ms Hanson a tour of a new parcel facility, as Australia Post sought her support to block Labor’s Senate bid to overturn a relaxation of delivery requirements during the pandemic.

The documents also reveal that when the saga went public in September, Communications Minister Paul Fletcher’s adviser started texting an Australia Post staff member at 6.37am.

On the same day, an Australia Post staffer said they had a “mole” in the organisation, prompting a colleague to reply: “No more emails please. Do not discuss or forward.”

Ms Holgate resigned from the top job this month, after Scott Morrison ordered an investigation sparked by her spending almost $20,000 on luxury Cartier watches to reward four executives.

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