Christine Holgate to wear white in Australia Post inquiry amid ‘suffragette’ protest

Christine Holgate to appear in white at inquiry into ‘watches’ saga as supporters channel suffragettes, and AusPost warned not to ‘interfere’ with witnesses.

“I will be wearing white” to Senate inquiry, says ousted Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate. Picture: Picture: Julian Kingma

Supporters of ousted Australia Post chief executive Christine Holgate say they are channelling the women’s suffrage movement in an attempt to stamp out workplace bullying, ahead of a Senate inquiry into her controversial departure over the Cartier watch saga.

At the same time, the Senate committee conducting the probe warned Australia Post against interfering with, or the “molestation” of, potential witnesses to appear before the inquiry.

A campaign organised by licensed post offices, which are similar to franchises, is encouraging fellow supporters of Ms Holgate to wear white and print posters declaring: “Christine Holgate was bullied. It can happen to anyone. It can happen to you.”

The campaign has already won support from key business people, including rich-lister Shaun Bonett, who said: “Christine’s experience over the last few months is deeply disturbing, a warning to every worker that it can happen to anyone.”

It comes as the union representing postal workers said Ms Holgate’s ousting set a “dangerous precedent” that could filter down to frontline posties, given she was stood down over “untested allegations”.

Ms Holgate has given her blessing to the new campaign, saying she will be wearing white when she appears at the Senate inquiry next Tuesday.

“We are committed to stop bullying, intimidation and abuse in the workplace. I will be wearing white next week,” Ms Holgate wrote on a post on LinkedIn.

Mr Bonett said he is financially backing the campaign because “bullying is a cancer in our society” that “needs to be stamped out once and for all from all our workplaces”.

“Antibullying is one of my core values and I consider it is a fundamental inhibitor in creating a productive and collaborative workplace environment where people feel safe and can make great things happen,” Mr Bonett said.

“I have known Christine for almost 15 years. Christine and I have supported a number of the same charitable causes.

“As they say, ‘bad things happen when good people do nothing’. Everyone should be able to work in a fair, just and respectful workplace, and I believe we all have an obligation to make this happen. This is my small contribution.”

The “Wear White 2 Unite” campaign’s website says it has chosen white given it has been “a colour used for centuries to make a peaceful demonstration”.

“The suffragettes made it famous as their movement began to change the course of history for women,” the website said.

“As the movement spread, wearing white became an accessible way for anyone to join the cause. By making a colour rather than a specific garment their key identifier, the suffragettes created a democratised uniform, meaning women of any race or economic status could afford to dress the part.”

Meanwhile, ahead of the Senate inquiry, Australia Post was warned against “interfering” with potential witnesses.

“The committee understands that people working for Australia Post may have been discouraged from participating in the inquiry,” committee chair Sarah Hanson-Young wrote in a letter to Australia Post’s acting chief executive Rodney Boys.

“The committee reminds Australia Post that taking action against a submitter or witness to a parliamentary inquiry may constitute a contempt of parliament.

“If specific evidence of interference with witnesses to this inquiry is provided to the committee, the committee will vigorously pursue the matter.”

Acting Australia Post CEO Rodney Boys, right, with chairman Lucio Di Bartolomeo. Picture: Getty Images

Already one key potential witness has emerged — Australia Post human resources boss Susan Davies — who Ms Holgate said in her submission would be able to support her version of events that chairman Lucio Di Bartolomeo stood her down unlawfully.

Ms Davies has not yet been named to appear before the inquiry, according to the witness list published on Friday morning. But another Australia Post employee, general manager of customer services, Taeressa Fawthrop, will appear in a “private capacity”.

Senator Hanson-Young said evidence was protected by parliamentary privilege and included resolutions dealing with interference and molestation of witnesses.

In regard to interference, a “person shall not, by fraud, intimidation, force or threat of any kind, by the offer or promise of any inducement or benefit of any kind, or by other improper means, influence another person in respect of any evidence given or to be given before the Senate or a committee, or induce another person to refrain from giving such evidence”.

While under the molestation resolution: “a person shall not inflict any penalty or injury upon, or deprive of any benefit, another person on account of any evidence given or to be given before the Senate or a committee”.

Senator Hanson-Young said in her letter to Mr Boys that: “Should Australia Post have concerns with evidence provided by any of its employees or other witnesses during the course of the inquiry, Australia Post may submit a response or write to the committee to seek another remedy”.

“Employers must not interfere or seek to influence employees in respect to their participation in parliamentary proceedings, or the evidence they provide. In addition, employers must not demand to see or ‘vet’ an employee’s evidence as such action could constitute interference.”

In a statement Australia Post said it: “has received and carefully considered the correspondence from the Senate committee chair” and had asked for more detailed information about the concerns raised in the letter”.

The postal service said that its “key leaders have also participated in parliamentary process training recently”.

The training follows a separate Senate inquiry held last year into Australia Post’s decision to deliver mail every other day in cities, which recommended executives complete remedial training in parliamentary procedures after it found they showed “a lack of understanding of the critical scrutiny role played by the Senate”.

“Australia Post takes its responsibilities to Parliament extremely seriously, and we are co-operating with the Senate inquiry,” the postal service said in a statement on Friday afternoon.

“We have taken a number of actions to remind our people of their obligations including a staff email referencing the key themes raised in the letter.”

Don’t interfere with witnesses, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has warned Australia Post. Picture: Gary Ramage

‘Bullied and humiliated’

In her submission to the Senate inquiry, Ms Holgate said Australia Post chair Lucio Di Bartolomeo bullied her, refusing to support her after Prime Minister Scott Morrison demanded she stand aside or “go” in parliament after it was revealed she rewarded four senior executives Cartier watches worth almost $20,000 in recognition of securing a banking deal worth $66m a year in 2018.

Ms Holgate said she was stood down unlawfully and alerted Finance Minister Simon Birmingham, who oversees Australia Post with Communications Minister Paul Fletcher, to Mr Di Bartolomeo’s behaviour.

“I do though have considerable concerns with how I have been treated, I do not believe it is fair, I feel I have been bullied and humiliated by the chair, forced to stand down from a role I loved and by evidence was successful in. I have suffered considerable damage to my corporate reputation and health as a consequence,” Ms Holgate wrote in an email to Mr Birmingham.

Mr Di Bartolomeo has rejected Ms Holgate’s claim he refused to support her in the wake of Mr Morrison’s comments and unlawfully stood her down.

An investigation by law firm Maddocks into the Cartier watch saga and other expenses found there was “contradictory evidence” as to whether Ms Holgate informed then chair John Stanhope of the watch purchases, which were given on top of cash bonuses.

It also found that the gifts were “inconsistent with the obligation imposed by the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act relating to the proper use and management of public resources and was inconsistent with public expectations.”

But the investigation concluded there were “there is no indication of dishonesty, fraud, corruption or intentional misuse of Australia Post funds by any individual involved in the matters relating to the purchase and gifting of the watches”.