Christine Holgate takes her seat at the start of the Senate hearing on Australia Post at Parliament House.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
Australia Post executive Sue Davies,who was by Ms Holgate’s side on the afternoon of October 22 as she fielded a flurry of telephone calls,supported her account that she did not agree to stand aside. Mr Di Bartolomeo maintains Ms Holgate agreed to do so over the course of phone conversations between the pair that afternoon.
“I’m not aware and do not recall of any conversations,one-sided,where Christine agreed to stand down,” Ms Davies told the inquiry.
“I was hearing one side of the conversation – I certainly heard Christine requesting leave.”
Ms Holgate said her health deteriorated after the Cartier watches fiasco.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
Ms Holgate,who was clad in white as a reference to the feminist suffragette movement,told the inquiry she believed her gender was a factor in her treatment.
“Members of Parliament who have been accused of the most terrible atrocities to women,proven with one of them,and they’re allowed to stand and still remain in their jobs and represent our country. I was forced to stand down,” Ms Holgate said.
She said she was silenced by Mr Di Bartolomeo from discussing a report prepared by Boston Consulting Group,which she said contained “disturbing recommendations” about the company’s future that she opposed. Asked by Labor Senator Kim Carr whether she believed she had been punished for opposing a plan of privatisation and job cuts,Ms Holgate said:“I think it would be fair to say,Senator,I wasn’t popular.”
Mr Di Bartolomeoalso gave evidence on Tuesday,rejecting many of Ms Holgate’s accusations and insisting that she agreed to stand aside and was provided with extensive support throughout the ordeal.
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The inquiry was established after Labor supported One Nation’s bid for the Senate to scrutinise the Cartier watches scandal. In a rare move to protect a witness,the Senate communications committee agreed to Ms Holgate’s request that most photographers and TV outlets leave the hearing room for her evidence. Instead,one photographer and one TV camera operator will capture the proceedings on behalf of all media outlets in what is known as a “pool arrangement”.
The opposition also supported Ms Holgate’s resignation at the time.
“I think it’s perfectly reasonable that Christine Holgate resign,” Labor leader Anthony Albanese said on November 3.
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