Australia Post responds to Christine Holgate’s demands, makes a few its of it own

Australia Post’s board takes unusual step of demanding details of a potential settlement with Christine Holgate be made public.

Former Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate appears before a Senate inquiry into her ousting. Picture: AAP

Australia Post has confirmed via its lawyers that it will participate in mediation with its former chief executive Christine Holgate - and what’s more it has demanded full details of a potential settlement to be made public.

The postal service’s board released a statement, agreeing to mediation, early on Wednesday morning, nine hours before a deadline set by Ms Holgate’s lawyer Rebekah Giles.

While mediation is normally in private, Australia Post’s board took the unusual step of urging The former Australia Post CEO and Ms Giles to agree to releasing full details of the meeting, including a potential settlement agreement following Ms Holgate’s ousting in the wake of the so-called Cartier watches affair.

It came after The Australian revealed on Tuesday the legal letter Ms Holgate sent to Australia Post and the government, detailing exactly what she expected to mediate over, despite chairman Lucio Di Bartolomeo telling a Senate inquiry he had “no idea”.

“Today, Australia Post’s lawyers have again written to Ms Holgate’s lawyers confirming that Australia Post will participate in a mediation,” Australia Post’s board said in a statement.

“Further, given the public interest in this matter and Australia Post’s wish to be transparent about it, we have asked that Ms Holgate agree that following the mediation the parties will make public what she asked Australia Post to give to her to settle the dispute and also the outcome of the mediation.”

The request is the latest twist in the very public departure of Ms Holgate, who says while she offered her resignation in the wake of the watches affair, she was stood down unlawfully beforehand. A Senate inquiry is also investigating her ousting and is scheduled to deliver its report on May 17.

Christine Holgate accuses Australia Post chairman Lucio Di Bartolomeo, pictured, of bullying her out of her job. Picture: Gary Ramage

Ms Holgate sent a legal letter to Australia Post and Communications Minister Paul Fletcher and Finance Minister Simon Birmingham two weeks ago, seeking mediation over her ousting last November - which she claims is unlawful - to avoid “costly litigation”.

The Australian understands that Ms Holgate is not seeking a cash settlement via mediation, rather an apology from Australia Post - which all directors have rejected before the Senate inquiry into her ousting - and a formal release from her contract.

In the letter, which The Australian has obtained, Ms Giles fully lists what she expects the mediation sessions to cover and invites input from Australia Post and the government.

“It is envisaged that the mediation will cover all issues concerning our client,” the letter states.

“The matters to be traversed at the mediation would involve, inter alia, the treatment of our client in her employment as the chief executive officer of Australia Post, the circumstances of her employment coming to an end, defamatory statements made of and concerning our client, breach of duty of care and the tortious interference with our client’s contract of employment with Australia Post.

“Our client has instructed us to make this proposal for a mediation so that this matter can be resolved in the best interests of all parties thereby avoiding unnecessary, time consuming and costly litigation.”

The letter also stated that the agenda of the session could be refined further once a mediation date has been scheduled.

“We propose that the mediation take place as soon as possible. We also propose the exchange of position papers. The timetabling in relation to position papers can be fixed once the parties agree on a mediation date.”

Ms Giles set a two-week window to complete the mediation process, which closes on Wednesday. Australia Post said initially it would not be able to meet the deadline, leading Ms Holgate to declare she was “considering her legal options” and “costly litigation”.

In a statement, Ms Giles said the two-week window was requested to complete mediation to “minimise the ongoing harm that has been caused to Ms Holgate” following her departure from Australia Post.

Ms Giles said speedy mediation would also help end the “distraction to Australia Post which ultimately must focus on its important service to the public and its obligations to its employees and operators”.

Mr Di Bartolomeo claims Ms Holgate agreed to stand aside during phone conversations after Prime Minister Scott Morrison demanded in parliament she stand aside or “go” following revelations she gifted four Cartier watches worth $20,000 to senior Australia Post executives who secured a banking deal worth $66m a year in 2018.

Ms Holgate maintains she never agreed to stand aside, saying the action was unlawful and Mr Di Bartolomeo “bullied” her out of her job.