This was published 3 years ago
Christine Holgate was treated ‘abysmally’: Australia Post chairman
By Lisa Visentin
Australia Post chairman Lucio Di Bartolomeo says Christine Holgate was treated “abysmally” over the Cartier watches saga, but insists the board does not owe her an apology.
Giving evidence to a Senate inquiry on the watches scandal, Mr Di Bartolomeo said Ms Holgate was a “highly effective” chief executive who made an error of judgment when she rewarded senior employees with luxury watches in 2018.
“I think Christine Holgate has been treated abysmally, but I believe the board and management did the right thing by her,” Mr Di Bartolomeo said.
“I don’t believe Australia Post owes her an apology, no. But I do believe she was badly treated.”
Ms Holgate on Tuesday called for Mr Di Bartolomeo to be sacked or resign, accusing him of bullying her out of a job and fabricating claims she had agreed to stand aside during an investigation into the watches.
He rejected these accusations and said he would not quit.
“I will not be resigning. I certainly don’t believe it would help. I think it would further hinder the organisation going forward,” he said.
Mr Di Bartolomeo maintained that Ms Holgate reluctantly agreed to stand aside in conversations between the pair on the afternoon of October 22. Ms Holgate claims she did not speak to Mr Di Bartolomeo at all during the afternoon.
“I absolutely did speak to her,” Mr Di Bartolomeo said, telling the inquiry Ms Holgate called him at 4.27pm and 5.50pm, and he called her at 6.38pm.
He attributed Ms Holgate’s poor treatment to the furore that engulfed her on October 22, after Prime Minister Scott Morrison seized on the watches revelations and told the Parliament in question time she could “go” if she did not stand aside for an investigation.
“The environment that was created at the time - from that afternoon on through Parliament and the media thereafter, and everyone else who bought in - created a set of circumstances that made her job, her life very difficult,” Mr Di Bartolomeo said.
He said Communications Minister Paul Fletcher contacted him after question time that day and informed him there would be an independent investigation and requested Ms Holgate stand aside.
“I questioned whether that was necessary, but I clearly came to the conclusion that it was in Christine and Australia Post’s best interests if she did,” he said.