"I absolutely believe that our communities would feel that this organisation has served the community and Australia," she said. "The Government needs to intervene further than just wiping out the CEO — Australia Post needs a whole reshuffle to get their leadership team right," he said. As Victoria finally emerges from its long pandemic winter there are calls for a new national road map to guide how we live with COVID-19 in 2021. Earlier today, Ms Holgate flagged that the company planned to employ up to 5,000 extra people to help with increased demand over Christmas. Some federal government MPs said privately Ms Holgate should quit, with Victorian Liberal senator James Paterson calling publicly for her immediate resignation. Topics Australia Business. On joining Australia Post from the vitamins manufacturer, Ms Holgate's pay packet was significantly lower than her predecessor, Ahmed Fahour, whose $10.79 million salary and bonus sparked anger in 2017. Australia Post is a standout example of all that can go wrong when governments corporatise an essential service. Contractors, which includes drivers, as well as people that run Australia Post stores, received gift vouchers of $500. Australia Post … Bonuses for Australia Post executives were vetoed by the board. "Quite frankly, I can't remember authorising it back in October '18," he said.

Answering questions from Victorian Labor senator Kimberly Kitching, Ms Holgate said the spending was appropriate for a commercial business. Greg Rayner, the national secretary of the CEPU communications union, said the gifts were outrageous.

The company reported a $53 million profit before tax last financial year, an increase from the $41.1 million profit the year before. Australia Post workers in the sales department received nearly $10 million in bonuses through what is called the "sales incentive scheme". Australia Post's chief financial officer Rodney Boys will become acting chief executive. "She’s a narcissist," they said. Falling letter volumes delivered a $220 million hit to the bottom line, despite increases in postage rates. Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate stood down over $12k Cartier watch staff reward . Christine Holgate gave evidence about the purchase of four $3000 Cartier watches on Thursday. By AAP. Mr Morrison, who worked as treasurer to clean up corporate governance, is equally concerned at the culture of the board which allowed the spending to take place. Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate faces an independent review into the purchase of luxury watches for four executives, which Prime Minister Scott Morrison has condemned as 'disgraceful'. It is understood Ms Holgate's assertion to a Senate estimates committee that she had not misspent taxpayers' money was considered by the government to represent a serious lapse of judgement. During this time, Rodney Boys, Chief Financial Officer will be acting in the role.”. Australia Post delivered a $53.6 million profit before tax in 2019-20, driven by an 18 per cent increase in parcel deliveries. Australia must consolidate its relative success in managing the virus into a much better national approach to pandemics. Nationwide News Pty Limited Copyright © 2020. Australia Post received a combined $66 million from Commonwealth Bank, Westpac and NAB as a result of the Bank@Post deal so their customers could access banking services at locations across the country. "There were a small number of senior people who put in an inordinate amount of work in, and they did receive a reward," she said. news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site, ritzy gifts were revealed at a Senate estimate hearing on Thursday, wearing a gold Bulgari watch that retails for up to $48,000. While Australia Post operates as an independent business, the Federal Government is the main shareholder. So very gauche! "We are the shareholders of Australia Post on behalf of the Australian people … she has been instructed to stand aside, if she doesn’t wish to do that, she can go!" Earlier, a furious Scott Morrison bluntly told Ms Holgate if she doesn’t stand aside “she can go”, adding he was “disgusted” by the abuse of taxpayers’ money. Picture: NCA.Source:News Corp Australia. The comment from “Liam”, posted beneath a tweet saying front line employees had worked just as hard as the company’s executives, joked that he had “light wrists”. An Australia Post employee has made hilarious use of the company Twitter account amid the watch scandal — posting a public jab at the under-fire CEO. Scott Morrison will consider alternative quarantine arrangements to get Aussies home; anti-lockdown protestors have again taken to Melbourne's streets; ASIC chairman James Shipton has stepped aside. Ms Holgate has been forced to defend her tenure at Australia Post amid a series of controversies, including threats to call in the police over delays to the delivery of Pauline Hanson-branded stubby holders destined for residents of Melbourne's locked-down public housing towers in September.

"Australia Post is self-funding, but having said that they're a government-business enterprise that is reportable to a minister and therefore the Parliament, so while it's not taxpayer funded, it still has an accountability to the government.".

Her decision was prompted by Communications Minister Paul Fletcher announcing an independent investigation into Australia Post in light of the revelation that four executives were given generous rewards for helping secure contracts. They never got a straight answer, High Court confirms more sexual harassment complaints raised against Dyson Heydon, Qantas eyes 'end of 2021' for return of UK and US flights but says coronavirus vaccine will be necessary, Adelaide Oval puppy mauled to death weeks after hotel's opening, 'No reason why we couldn't have kept playing': V'landys reflects on NRL's COVID-impacted season, Doctors warn of lasting effects of COVID-19 after struggling to recover from virus, 'We are protecting someone who hides behind mummy's skirt': Alleged Epstein victim angry names were redacted from transcript, Electoral commission admits 'human error' saw Queensland ballot boxes accidentally unsealed, Arrest warrant issued for two NT teens allegedly involved in fatal hit-and-run, Man who broke into student's room and touched her breasts as she slept jailed over 'appalling' crime spree, Australian warships to pull out of Middle East as focus shifts closer to home, Nurse didn't hear inmates say prisoner was having an asthma attack, inquest hears, which topped $10 million in the year he stepped down.

Australia Post chief executive Christine Holgate has defended the decision to spend 12,000 on luxury watches for executives, saying: I have not used taxpayers money.

Australia Post chairman Lucio Di Bartolomeo said the organisation would “fully co-operate” with the investigation after Ms Holgate revealed the watches were valued at around $3000 each. "There were a small number of senior people who put in an inordinate amount of work and they did receive an award from the chair, myself, and on behalf of the board," she said. "We are a commercial organisation, it was a recommendation from our chair that these people get rewarded," she said.

Australia Post has delivered 300 million packages since the beginning of the pandemic, compared to 90 million during 2018-19. The debacle has sparked uproar online – with one staff member facetiously asking for his own gift of designer jewellery as a reward for hard work. Australia Post watch scandal ensnares CEO. She said the October 2018 purchase was made on the recommendation of then chair John Stanhope and denied it involved taxpayer funds. Ms Holgate said she was not one of the four people who received a watch, and could not specify what type of watches were bought. It comes after Ms Holgate stood aside from her top position on Thursday after it emerged she dished out four $3000 Cartier watches to high-performing executives. Footy finals, horse races, and Test cricket bring reassurance after some awful months. All times AEDT (GMT +11).

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was "appalled" and that the gifts were "disgraceful and not on". Despite the company being essentially government-owned, Ms Holgate claimed no taxpayers’ money was used to purchase the watches. Where are their Cartier watches,” the social media user had posed. Mr Morrison said. Ms Holgate said the employees were given the watches on behalf of the chair of the board and herself as a thank you gift.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann and Communications Minister Paul Fletcher confirmed Ms Holgate would stand aside during the four-week investigation, a request made through chairman Lucio Di Bartolomeo.

Christine Holgate has stepped aside while investigations continue into the purchasing of Cartier watches as a bonus for staff.

Australia Post has recently reduced letter delivery services to every second day in a bid to meet the increased demand of delivering parcels, which now make up 61 per cent of its business because of the increase in online shopping. How effective will it be?

The Estimates hearing was told the watches went to a team who worked on a multi-million-dollar deal that meant customers of Commonwealth Bank, Westpac and NAB could do their banking at post offices. After the 2018 deal, Ms Holgate accused ANZ boss Shayne Elliott of misleading the public over a fee dispute. "We've worked in extremely difficult circumstances. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. October 22, 2020 1:16PM.

“The government needs to intervene further than just wiping out the CEO," he said. Australia Post chief executive Christine Holgate during Senate estimates in Canberra. Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Although the make up of the board has changed in the past two years, he is eager to ensure that cultural problems don't persist under the current board. Communications Union national secretary Greg Rayner said gifts for highly paid executives were outrageous. Alex Ellinghausen. If you look at Melbourne, you know, the circumstances that we've been operating in have just been phenomenal.". Earlier, a shaken Ms Holgate — herself wearing a gold Bulgari watch that retails for up to $48,000 — attempted to defend the purchase of the luxury items, arguing it was a legitimate reward for “an inordinate amount of work”. “Group CEO & Managing Director Christine Holgate will stand aside during the investigation.

The ritzy gifts were revealed at a Senate estimate hearing on Thursday, where the $2.6 million-a-year CEO admitted the watches were given to employees who brokered a lucrative deal offering banking services to post office customers in 2018.