Former Australia Post chief executive Christine Holgate alleges company chairman lied to parliament

Former Australia Post boss Christine Holgate has taken aim at chairman Lucio Di Bartolomeo, accusing him of lying to parliament about the Cartier watches saga.

Ms Holgate has also claimed Prime Minister Scott Morrison humiliated her when condemning her in parliament for giving the watches to four senior executives in November 2018 as a reward for clinching a banking deal.

In a lengthy submission to a senate inquiry into Australia Post released Tuesday, she reserved her harshest criticism for Mr Di Bartolomeo, claiming he treated her ‘like a criminal’ and blaming him solely for being forced out of the top job.

Former Australia Post boss Christine Holgate (pictured) has accused the organisation’s chairman of lying to parliament, in a lengthy submission to a senate inquiry

Ms Holgate alleges the chairman unlawfully stood her down and failed to defend her despite knowing the facts of the case.

‘He lied repeatedly to the Australian people and to their parliament about his actions,’ she claimed in a 154-page submission to the inquiry containing emails, photos of cards and a letter to her lawyers.

‘Time after time he has made statements that I had agreed to stand down when I had done no such thing.

‘He then abandoned me to a media firestorm that he and others had created and cut me off from resources, despite knowing that these events had caused me to seek mental health care and medication.’

The former Blackmores executive says the watches were purchased legally, with the transaction signed off and approved by then-chairman John Stanhope, auditors and Australia Post’s chief financial officer.

‘(It was) widely celebrated within the organisation, and presented at a morning tea by the previous chairman and me with a thank you card signed by both of us,’ she wrote.

Ms Holgate was condemned for giving Cartier watches to four senior executives in November 2018 as a reward for clinching a banking deal (stock image)

‘It was then found to be legal by the “review” which was clearly intended to find it otherwise.’

Mr Di Bartolomeo told an inquiry last November he would have blocked the purchase of the luxury watches if he was in charge when the gifts were doled out.

But Ms Holgate alleges his Senate hearing evidence was ‘seriously misleading’ and even prompted her to write to the Australia Post board, ministers and Maddocks Lawyers asking them to address her concerns.

‘But they have chosen not to; yet at no time has anyone denied my feedback was correct,’ she said.

Australia Post chairman Lucio Di Bartolomeo (pictured) told an inquiry last November he would have blocked the purchase of the luxury watches if he was in charge when the gifts were given

‘It is unacceptable that the chair of a major public-owned enterprise can mislead the Senate over his knowledge of something as important as a review of the organisation commissioned by the government.’

Ms Holgate went on to imply she was still technically employed by Australia Post after rejecting Mr Di Bartolomeo’s resignation offer.

She claims the proposal would have left her with no severance pay, unable to work for 12 months and gagged from speaking out about Australia Post in perpetuity.

‘To this date, I have signed no deed of release with Australia Post, despite my many requests to resolve this matter.’