Scott Morrison refuses to apologise to former Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate
Holgate #Holgate
Scott Morrison has refused to apologise to Christine Holgate, saying it was not his “intention” for his “strong language” to impact the former Australia Post chief executive, while rejecting her claim her gender played some role in her treatment.
Morison’s response to Holgate’s claims his comments in parliament in October last year amounted to “one of the worst acts of bullying I’ve ever witnessed” follows Australia Post board chair Lucio Di Bartolomeo’s refusal to apologise for what occurred, despite conceding he believed Holgate had been treated “abysmally”.
Holgate has pointed to Morrison’s reaction for kickstarting the chain of events which led to her resignation late last year and said she believed her gender played a role.
The prime minister said he did not intend to offend Holgate and would not be apologising.
“My language on that day was very strong. It was back in October and I see that has caused some very strong reaction from Ms Holgate and hurt her deeply,” he said in a podcast interview with the West Australian newspaper.
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“That was not my intention. I regret that but, at the same time, the issue here was how taxpayers’ funds were being used in a government-owned company and as prime minister, I have to stand up for those standards and did.”
Holgate said on Tuesday she would like an apology from the prime minister for his question time performance, which came on the heels of an October estimates hearing which revealed Holgate had used company funds to buy four executives Cartier watches as a thank you for completing a project in 2018.
Morrison chastised Holgate in parliament and said if she did not wish to step aside, “she can go” following the October estimates hearing.
“He has people in his cabinet accused of the most terrible atrocities to women … and they’re allowed to remain in their jobs and represent our country. I was forced to stand down,” Holgate told a Senate inquiry on Tuesday.
“… Do I believe it’s partially a gender issue? You’re absolutely right I do.
“But do I believe the real problem here is bullying and harassment and abuse of power? You’re absolutely right I do.”
But Morrison flatly rejected Holgate’s gender played any role in her treatment.
“No, I don’t accept that,” he said.
“I mean, that was no more true that Cartier watches were handed out because some [one] of their gender or the rules that would apply in relation to that.
“This was about the issues of taxpayers’ money. And I don’t accept that there are any gender-related issues here at all. This was about that issue.”
Holgate told the Senate inquiry looking into the issues surrounding her departure she believed the Australia Post board took Morrison’s comments in parliament last year as a direction and stood her aside, against her will, while an investigation was carried out.
Holgate said she never agreed to stand aside and instead had planned to take leave, accusing the board and Di Bartolomeo of “unlawfully” standing her aside.
Di Bartolomeo maintains Holgate agreed to stand aside while an investigation was carried out, and he had hoped she would return to her position once it was concluded.
Holgate, who said she is still considering whether or not she takes legal action against her former employer, said the former Liberal party federal director, Tony Nutt, who sits on the Australia Post board, had told her “Christine, you need to understand it was the prime minister” and the board was left with no choice but to stand her aside.
Di Bartolomeo confirmed on Tuesday in the hearing that communications minister Paul Fletcher had said the government wanted the board to support an investigation into Holgate’s spending, and wanted her stood aside while it was carried out. But Di Bartolomeo said he did not take that as a “direction” and instead considered it a “strong desire” of the shareholder ministers.
Holgate was stood aside. She resigned 10 days later as she said the situation had become untenable and she did not believe there was a way back.
Both Holgate and Di Bartolomeo have been asked to reappear at the Senate inquiry at a later date.