Australia Post boss says phone records will back his version of events in Christine Holgate dispute

The Australia Post chair, Lucio Di Bartolomeo, says phone records will support his “recollection” that former chief executive Christine Holgate voluntarily stood aside while an investigation was carried out into her gift of designer watches to senior executives.’

© Provided by The Guardian
Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Holgate has claimed she never agreed to such an undertaking. In her submission to a Senate inquiry she alleged Di Bartolomeo unlawfully stood her down and “lied repeatedly to the Australian people” by claiming it had been her decision.

Holgate said she did not speak to Di Bartolomeo following the “traumatic events” of a question time in October 2020 during which the prime minister, Scott Morrison, said if Holgate didn’t wish to stand aside “she can go”.

In his latest statement, posted to the Australia Post website on Wednesday, Di Bartolomeo said he had spoken to Holgate following the 22 October question time and she had “agreed with me to stand aside from her role pending the outcome of the shareholder departments’ investigation and any further actions taken by Australia Post”.

© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
Christine Holgate has alleged Lucio Di Bartolomeo unlawfully stood her down as CEO of Australia Post and ‘lied repeatedly to the Australian people’ by claiming it had been her decision.

Related: Christine Holgate alleges Australia Post chair lied to parliament in wake of Cartier watches saga

“Ms Holgate claims that she did not speak with me that afternoon at all after question time (the relevant parts of which occurred between approximately 2.30pm and 2.40pm),” Di Bartolomeo said.

“However, phone records support my recollection – including that we had conversations at 4.27pm and 5.50pm on that day.”

In her statement, Holgate said she did not speak with Di Bartolomeo after question time, but had spoken with board member and former Liberal party federal director Tony Nutt.

“I did NOT speak to the chair that afternoon at all following the traumatic events of question time,” she said. “I did speak to and communicate with Tony Nutt numerous times. It is highly important to note that Tony Nutt in fact suggested that I prepare a brief statement saying I would take annual leave and support an investigation. I took this advice as it was consistent with my previous commitment.”

Holgate’s submission to the inquiry was the first time she had spoken publicly about the events which led to her resignation from Australia Post. The Senate inquiry is looking at the circumstances surrounding Holgate’s departure.

She was a popular figure with franchisees who credited her leadership with helping to turn their businesses around. Holgate has since received support from across the political spectrum including Bob Katter and Pauline Hanson.

Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie praised Holgate’s record with Australia Post on Wednesday.

“I can only speak for the facts,” she told the ABC. “She did an amazing job in the financial sustainability of rural and regional licensed post office holders. There is over 2,500 of them in the regions. That deal with the banks that we talk about actually meant that people in small country towns could access financial services like people in the city take for granted all the time through Australia Post.”

The prime minister has sought to distance himself from his October comments which Holgate said left her feeling “humiliated”.

“This is a matter now that’s substantively between Ms Holgate and Australia Post and that’s where I note the predominance of her comments have been directed,” he said on Wednesday. “Ms Holgate decided to leave Australia Post. That’s just a matter of record. There was a review that was undertaken into the matters that were brought up by the Senate at estimates and, before that was concluded, Ms Holgate decided to leave Australia Post.”

Holgate has said the gift of Cartier watches to reward executives was “legal, within Australia Post’s policies, within my own signing authority limits, approved by the previous chairman, expensed appropriately, signed off by auditors and the CFO [and] widely celebrated within the organisation”.

Related: Australia Post board did not approve purchase of Cartier watches worth $20,000

An investigation by Maddocks lawyers, commissioned by the government, “exonerated” her, despite Di Bartolomeo “unfairly influencing” it by publicly declaring he would have vetoed the gifts, Holgate said in her submission.

Holgate blamed the federal communications minister, Paul Fletcher, and Morrison for failing to “acknowledge the watch reward occurred two years ago, for securing the largest investment into the community post offices or that they had been approved by the previous chair”.

The Maddocks review found the board did not approve the purchases. Although there was no “dishonesty, fraud, corruption or intentional misuse of Australia Post funds”, the review concluded the gifts were inconsistent with public service obligations regarding the “proper use and management of public resources”.

The Senate inquiry will hold a hearing next week.