Former Aus Post CEO Christine Holgate wins $1m payout

Australia Post will pay its former CEO Christine Holgate $1 million following her acrimonious departure from the government business enterprise last year.

Ms Holgate at a Senate estimates committee hearing.

Ms Holgate left Australia Post last October after details emerged about the Cartier watches scandal in which four senior Australia Post executives were gifted $5,000 luxury watches.

In a statement on Wednesday Australia Post said it had reached a settlement with Ms Holgate in which the former CEO would receive $1 million as a termination payment, as well as $100,000 in legal costs, without any admission of liability on the part of Australia Post.

Under the terms of the settlement, Ms Holgate will drop legal action against her former employer.

Australia Post stopped short of offering an apology but said it regretted “the difficult circumstances surrounding Ms Holgate’s departure from her role as CEO” and acknowledged it had lost an effective CEO following the events of October 22, 2020.

“Australia Post wishes Ms Holgate the best in her future endeavours,” it said in a statement.  

IMs Holgate had previously claimed she was unlawfully stood down, humiliated in parliament and the subject of a gendered attack in the media.

She has consistently defended her decision to reward the executives for their efforts on a key Australian Post initiative with the watches.

Australia Post Chair Lucio Di Bartolomeo had denied Ms Holgate had been unlawfully sacked, saying she had agreed to stand down before tendering her resignation.

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4 thoughts on “Former Aus Post CEO Christine Holgate wins $1m payout

  1. Holgate (and others in positions of authority) can always find ways to defend their decisions but to reward anyone especially Public Service executives for doing their job shows a complete self-righteous attitude of reward that is out of step with everyday people. No honorable personal traits on display here one might say.
    The postie on the beat is probably lucky to get a free stamp by comparison!

  2. People like Holgate are totally out of step with the role they hold in a government owned entity like Australia Post. She needs to appreciate that her spending spree was with taxpayer money and not up to code or even the pub test!

    Ridiculous rewards for people to simply do the job they are employed to do for the salary agreed is outrageous and a sign of the times where these executives expect more than they are entitled to, unjustifiably!

    And for Holgate to act in that manner then cry foul displays her unjustifiable sense of entitlement and lack of regard and decency to accept that she made a dumb mistake which results in a consequence, albeit to her detriment.

    She would have sacked others for less so what makes her special?

  3. Christine was all ready been both in Parliament and Public Humiliated.
    Australia Post is A unique Government Owned Commercial entity. It appears that this entity is Not a Public Service as many say it is!

    The CEO was from all accounts making Australia Post Profitable. The Board has not been able to do this successfully until Christine came along. Perhaps the Board should receive the scorn for not being a commercial entity that makes a profit ,for there term of office.

    What we learn is the Board’s performance is the sham, in this whole affair!

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