Ex-Australia Post boss Christine Holgate demands apology over Cartier watches scandal

Former Australia Post boss Christine Holgate wants Scott Morrison to do one thing for ‘humiliating’ her over the Cartier watches scandal.

Pauline Hanson has accused Scott Morrison of “speaking before engaging his brain” and demanded he apologise to Christine Holgate, who claims the Prime Minister “humiliated” her before she was “bullied out” of Australia Post.

The former postal service boss let rip on Mr Morrison and Australia Post chairman Lucio Di Bartolomeo on Tuesday during a Senate inquiry into her controversial departure.

Ms Holgate quit as chief executive in October following revelations senior executives were gifted expensive Cartier watches – prompting the Prime Minister to blast the purchase as “disgraceful” and say she had been instructed to stand aside.

One Nation senator Pauline Hanson said Mr Morrison should “of course” apologise to Ms Holgate, accusing him of “speaking before he engaged his brain”.

Pauline Hanson has demanded Scott Morrison apologise to Christine Holgate. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“I don’t think the Prime Minister really understood what it was about, he heard in Senate estimates that she bought these watches,” Senator Hanson said.

“I think that he spoke before he engaged the brain, and he wasn’t advised properly with it.”

The comments come after Ms Holgate called on Mr Morrison to apologise for his role in her ousting, which she said made her position untenable.

“Everybody makes mistakes sometimes,” Ms Holgate told Today.

“If he was to call me and apologise, I would welcome that apology. That’s all I want.”

Christine Holgate said MPs had been accused of the ‘most terrible atrocities to women’ and had still kept their jobs. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

Ms Holgate, who maintains she did nothing wrong, was cleared of misleading or misusing taxpayer funds.

But she said it wasn’t just being “hung in the parliament” that was hard.

She told the inquiry that she was “bullied out” of her job and that Mr Di Bartolomeo lied about her departure, adding she never agreed to resign. Mr Di Bartolomeo rejected those accusations while giving evidence at the inquiry.

“Yesterday I had to hear him say I was treated abysmally but I deserve no apology,” Ms Holgate said. “Just answer that.

“It almost broke me … but it didn’t break me.

“I will come back stronger.”

Ms Holgate said she felt like David fighting Goliath but hopes standing up for herself will make her a better leader.

Ms Hanson lashed out at a government “ploy” to announce a new CEO – Woolworths executive Paul Graham – just a day before Ms Holgate’s testimony.

Ms Holgate says Mr Morrison’s intervention – declaring ‘she can go’ to parliament – made her position untenable. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

“To announce the new CEO on the day before the hearing started flies in the face of our democracy and the Senate procedure of holding this inquiry,” she said.

“I think they did it on purpose so … that there be no opportunity to offer her back a job.”

The One Nation senator claimed Ms Holgate would accept her job back at “the drop of a hat”.

But on Tuesday, Mr Di Bartolomeo confirmed he would not stand aside, and Ms Holgate said she could no longer work with him.

Trade Minister Dan Tehan said the issue was about the misappropriate use of government expenses.

Australia Post chairman Lucio Di Bartolomeo said Ms Holgate was treated ‘abysmally’. Picture: Supplied via NCA NewsWire

“Christine Holgate resigned and, as far as I’m concerned, that is where the matters ends,” Mr Tehan told ABC Breakfast.

Nationals senator Matt Canavan said Ms Holgate did make “some mistakes” in buying the Cartier watches but reasoned that the punishment did not fit the crime.

“It would be best for an apology to be given, and I think that the chair of the Australia Post should go,” he told Today.

He defended Mr Morrison’s reaction to the watches scandal, adding that Labor also called for Ms Holgate’s departure.

“Who would buy Cartier watches as rewards in a public setting?” Senator Canavan said.

“It is tough for all involved, but it hasn’t been handled well.”

Australia Post this week announced it had appointed a new chief executive officer. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Luis Ascui

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Deputy Opposition Leader Richard Marles has also been forced to defend his party’s initial response to the saga, rejecting claims it aggressively called for Ms Holgate’s sacking last year.

“There is nothing on the public record,” Mr Marles told ABC Breakfast.

“What we were doing … was to hold the government to account for public expenditure and we do hold a high bar there.

“We do think that the purchase of those watches as an executive bonus in a public enterprise context was inappropriate.

“But at no point did we suggest that the way in which the Prime Minister should then behave was to humiliate Christine Holgate.”

Labor leader Anthony Albanese in November said “it is perfectly reasonable that Christine Holgate resign”.

“What I say is that a whole lot of people should have resigned before her,” Mr Albanese said.