Australia Post board asks Christine Holgate to make mediation demands public
The board of Australia Post has called on ousted CEO Christine Holgate to make public her demands following mediation between the two parties.
Ms Holgate departed her position as chief of the national service in November last year, following political fallout from a Senate hearing in which she revealed she had expensed approximately $20,000 in Cartier watches to reward four executives.
The watches were audited and signed off by Australia Post’s chief financial officer at the time.
In April 2021, Ms Holgate gave explosive evidence to a Senate Committee in which she claimed she was bullied out of her job and unlawfully stood down.
Today Australia Post’s lawyers have again written to Ms Holgate’s lawyers confirming that Australia Post will participate in a mediation.
“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 board said in a statement.
In April Ms Holgate said she did not agree to stand down from her position, as was widely publicised by the chairman of the organisation Lucio Di Bartolomeo.
“I have said consistently since October 22 that I have done nothing wrong. I have not agreed to stand down,” Ms Holgate said.
“I have provided comprehensive written proof to support these statements to Australia Post and its chairman, have provided evidence of any kind.
“They have not. They have produced lies.”
Australia Post has already named Paul Graham, formerly the Chief Supply Chain Officer at Woolworths Group, as the new CEO and Managing Director of Australia Post.
He is due to start in September.
