Scott Morrison bluntly told Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate that she had to leave after spending $ 12,000 on Cartier watches for staff members
Australia Post is racing to keep up with COVID online shopping boom with parcel volumes up 618 percent from this time of last year
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA-NCA NewsWire Photos: OCTOBER 22, 2020 Australia Post Managing Director Christine Holgate during Senate estimates in Canberra Image: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage Source: News Corp Australia
Scott Morrison bluntly told Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate if she didn’t stand aside: « she can go » after revelations that senior executives received Cartier watches in » prime «
During an extraordinary attack, M Morrison said he was disgusted by the abuse of taxpayer money
« I was appalled and it is shameful and not at all, » he said at Question Time today
« So immediately I spoke with the ministers and as a result of these discussions I decided that an independent investigation should be carried out by the department, not by Australia Post, and that the CEO was to step down immediately
« This report will come back to me and the members of my cabinet, and if there are any issues that need to be addressed with the members of the council, then they will be
« This all happened in less than an hour, I was so appalled and shocked by this behavior, as any shareholder of a company would raise their indignation if they had seen this behavior, from a CEO, executive or board would rightly insist on the same
« We are the shareholders of Australia Post on behalf of the Australian people, so the action was immediate, and if the CEO wanted to step down, she was instructed to step down, if she does not. don’t want to do that, she can leave «
Australia Post Managing Director Christine Holgate during Senate forecast in Canberra Image: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage Source: News Corp Australia
Communications Minister Paul Fletcher earlier asked Ms Holgate to step down while an investigation is conducted into the decision to award four top Cartier watches as a ‘bonus’
The decision was announced to Parliament during Question Time after Ms Holgate revealed the purchases, on a corporate credit card, during the Senate budget hearing on Thursday
« I spoke to the president of Australia Post, I explained that the government insists you is that the boards and the managements of the public enterprises must be very careful with the taxpayers’ money », a declared M Fletcher
« They have to be very careful with taxpayer money I informed the President of Australia Post that and asked the respective departments to investigate this matter
« I have asked the President to provide the full support of the company for this investigation, and I have also requested the President to notify the CEO and he will be asked to step down during this investigation This is an issue the Australian government takes seriously «
The fury follows a slew of recent controversies, including revelations that the Australia Post spent $ 700,000 on factories and drama on delivering chunky Pauline Hanson-branded media to high-rise public housing in September
Previously, a shaken Mrs Holgate had tried to defend the purchase of the Cartier watch by arguing that it was a legitimate reward for « an excessive amount of work »
But her attempts to claim the Australia Post was a ‘commercial organization’ were challenged by Labor Senator Kimberly Kitching, who said it was taxpayer money she was talking about
« There were a small number of senior executives who went overboard and they received an award from the chairman, myself and on behalf of the board, » Ms Holgate said
« We are a commercial organization It was a recommendation from our president that these people be rewarded »
« We do not receive government funding We are a commercial organization It was a recommendation from our president that these people be rewarded »
« Australia Post is a cherished national institution and it must set high standards, » she said
RELEVANT ADVERTISING NOTE: We collect information about the content (including advertisements) you use on this site and use it to make advertising and content more relevant to you on our network and other sites Learn more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt out
Christine Holgate
World News – AU – PM orders Oz Post boss to step down
SOURCE: https://www.w24news.com
