Australia Post investigated: Christine Holgate, privatisation and the future of mail | Four Corners

[@davidjma7226]

Twelve grand on watches is small potatoes in the great scheme of things. This was a political hit and she was thrown under the bus. The Chair is saving his own skin. What an a hole....

[@Albot940]

I actually didn't know albo first asked the question about 12k on watches in parliament. Bit disappointed at that.

[@AnnoyingInflatable]

She was a hot potato thrown around between Labor and the libs

[@Ratytheo]

Don’t forget about the sports rort as well! This is a disgusting political hit piece.

[@jadethornton7975]

Why does it take so long to get mail. Why is St kilda east Australia Post so mean to people?

[@dionhaines5110]

Also car park rorts, to hear him stand there and demand her resignation with all that in mind made me feel sick

[@MrFrankster25]

Such a non story. So much tax payer money wasted in all areas of govt. $12k is a drop in the ocean. Just political point scoring

[@davidjma7226]

Cost cutting is like burning your home furnishings to keep warm. Sooner or later you run out of furniture......what you gonna do then?

[@henrythe8912]

This government has no issues with paying 30 million for a land valued at 3 million for Sydney airport. $12000 is huge.If you pay hefty party donation anything goes.

[@uziquattro1083]

if they investigated the real corruption here they would have to lock themselves up.. so go for the watches

[@scottmountford1021]

Look over here 👉 Also, no problem with Porter taking money from people who didn't want to be named.

[@60-second-HACKS]

The biggest scandal is the use of consultants like BCG. That's a scam.

[@fortymillioncoins9066]

Yes- what Yankee friend was the government giving millions to write what they wanted in a report on AUSPOST. Sounds like they requested a certain flavor to the report. Essentially they requested a second report on the heels of the first and the findings seemed the same. No one brought up the fact that Holgate's predecessor sold off GPO Sydney to the Singapore based Chinese company in a private deal. Why was that? Why did ONLY these privileged Chinese get access to buy it? Why couldn't other people have access to buying that building? Why wasn't the sale open to the public? Bring back Christine Holgate- $12K of watches and her annual pay are about 1/30th of the payout her predessor got when he left. The changes she made to parcel post have been brilliant.

[@konrad8921]

Absolutely. BCG, EY, KPMG, are some of the most corrupt and incompetent organizations on the planet. Look at what they did with Wirecard, signing off on the books, until an investigative journalist discovered it a multi billion euro fraud. Can't believe some young associates in BCG working 14 hour days were writing a report that BCG was paid $1.3 million for.

[@-OnTheRun-]

Holgate is a weirdo

[@stuiley424]

@@-OnTheRun- she’s just another overpaid private school brat trying to save her own skin.

[@wyattfamily8997]

Particularly when the EX G.M. of Australia Post worked for them at the time.

[@pandapetz]

Hilarious, the last CEO was giving millions in bonuses, why his a $3k watch a problem?

[@sirtra]

Buying gifts on a company credit card is inappropriate and required zero authorizations as long as she kept the cost under her pre-approved limit. This is almost certainly why they only cost 3k each and why she did it this way, she didnt break any laws but she should (and would) have known better but got caught. Giving employees millions in bonuses (whilst horrific and appalling to some) is actually appropriate since it requires approval and multiple people to authorize - its not something which can happen by just one person acting inappropriately. If the ABC did a better job they would of explained this so people unfamiliar with the corporate world and charging expenses could actually understand what she actually did and why it was such a big deal... instead they focused on the speculation of privatizing Aust Post and workplace bullying. Her claims she did nothing wrong is laughable when you dig into the details.

[@sirtra]

@Tom Crossman lets just assume that all the political stuff is true, and even that the bullying was true... That still doesnt excuse what she did. She could have rewarded those 4 executives using pure remuneration, it simply required going thru the normal approval process but she didnt. Instead she charged the watches to a company credit card and then still to this day says she "did nothing wrong". Do you think this was the first and only instance of the misappropriation of funds by her - in an organisation that has a history of people milking the system for all its worth? Or could it be that this is just the first time she got caught? We'll probably never know but given she was the CEO she should and would have known better - the alternative is actually worse, ie she genuinely doesnt comprehend how this was not okay. That in itself should tell you exactly the type of person she is, not only is she unwillingly to own up to what she did (not that she bought the watches but the manner in which shw tried to do it on the sly but was found out) , but she's then trying to play the victim card on top of it all. In any of these scenarios her own conduct is not acceptable and it is that alone as to why she is not fit to be CEO of a public company. You can hate the poltics, think it was a hit job and even accept the bullying claims for why she was ousted.. at the end of the day it was her own actions that caused her to be stood down and hers alone.

[@brianterence3211]

@@sirtra But it defies all logic when you dig into details. And if the details were so transparent why the hell would you pay $1.2 million AUD's to BCG for a report that found no wrong doing by Holgate ? Putting the matter simply, why blame game Holgate when the process you describe is patently absurd ? Had the Chairman been fired it earlier it would have made more sense.

[@sirtra]

@@brianterence3211 what detail defies logic to you? I think you've got mixed up in the sequence of events due to crafty segments such as this 4 corners one which tries to conflate completely unrelated political speculation into why Holgate was stood down whilst blatantly ignoring the details of her conduct. The report wasnt about Holgate nor did it exonerate her conduct with regards to the purchasing of the watches. Could there have been some grand secret scheme to privatize Auspost? Sure. Could Holgate have been a target for those who disagreed with her views and opinions on said scheme? Sure. Could the purchasing of the watches been used as part of a political hit job on Holgate? Sure. Does any of this excuse her conduct of purchasing watches as a gift on a company credit card though? Absolutely not! Don't get swept up in all the political BS surrounding her ousting from Auspost because to put it simply, if she didnt do the sly act of purchasing watches as a gift on the company dime then they would have no ground for standing her down. The real test of truth and her character is whether she proceeds with legal action like she threatened back in May - i doubt she will because she's not stupid. The threat was a weak flailing attempt at having the court of public opinion buy into her narrative rather than actually having to take it to a court of law where she will inevitably be fully exposed, both in terms of what other things she charged to the company card that isn't appropriate but exactly who else knew or turned a blind eye to this behavior. It was likely one of the watch recipients that blew the whistle since she could have sought approval to give them a monetary bonus but instead gave em watches... id not be happy if she did that to me either had i closed such a huge deal. Lastly on the topic of digging into the details, did you notice there was no mention about her conversations and emails regarding her voluntarily standing down either? Were you aware of this? Yeah, she sent an email effectively resigning and even did a public statement but she is now trying to claim it was just a draft... theres not even a peep about that though is there? I wonder why... Look into her full history of employment, before Blackmores, and you'll see she's not the shining star executive this segment tries to portray her as. She was in a dog eat dog environment and got bit due to her own conduct.

[@brianterence3211]

@@sirtra Thank you for your comment. May I say it was the best comment I have read so far. The one detail left that I still find impossible to understand is... ( if the gift of watches was not approved under credit card arrangement) why was she simply not pulled to one side by the Chairman and warned ? She could also be asked to sign a statement to that effect. The Chairman's management of Holgate is clumsy but the Chairman's management of Faroud is outrageous. By the way, in your first comment you acknowledged Holgate did not break any law by her watch gifting. Is this what we get when people are appointed to high position on the basis of quotas ? Is feminist ideology a factor too i.e. appointment on the basis of gender ?..... I note labor abolished the CST for those wishing to join the PS. ( CST= Commonwealth Selection Test ). I also note Americans have for years used political appointments and I see now the mess that country has finally inherited.

[@hiddenmeaning150]

The hypocrisy of being concerned about spending $3k per watch for bonuses when you regularly spend $1.3. million for a report tendered to one of four companies.

[@Your.Uncle.AngMoh]

Michael Brissenden, the reporter on this episode, is retiring from the ABC. Thank you for your many years of service to "Auntie" in the programs you have worked on over the years.

[@eat_ze_bugs]

She literally saved Australia Post and this is how the government treats her?

[@MarksyS387]

I think the issue was that the Aus Post executive team already gets paid a lot of money and why should she then spend more tax payer money on watches for the team.

[@petermono]

shows the quality of both sides of the political spectrum.

[@thanhpham1647]

Banking cartel tentacles in the corrupted Canberra. James Shipton (ex asic chairman) did received same treatment (around the same time of Cartier watches) for doing his job, going after the banks

[@wyattfamily8997]

@@MarksyS387 The money spent wasn't "taxpayer money" it derived form profits generated as "operating Revenue" so no Taxpayer money"was used, it's just political rhetoric to encourage outrage in the taxpayers. The 4 executives that finally managed to force the Big Banks to pay for the services ( 220 Million) that Mum and Dad Postal Agencies perform was conducted over many weekends and nights resulting these post offices actually making a profit, instead a loss and eventually closing ( 2,700 are privately owned) and often the ONLY banking available in small country towns.

[@MarksyS387]

@@wyattfamily8997 why don't they report those facts? sick of news articles conveniantly leaving out small but important facts

[@Jablicek]

44:57 - if someone in government tells you they've "made it clear", hold on to your hats!

[@sashwrin]

And the watches were a bonus for saving banking services for rural and remote services. But that isn’t ok when politicians can go on expensive holidays in times of national crisis.

[@fortymillioncoins9066]

EXACTLY!

[@brianterence3211]

Whoopee ! Hello.....Hawaii !

[@Blackheathenly]

When you are employed as a public servant, it is well-known that you cannot accept gifts or donations.

[@godamid4889]

@@Blackheathenly who was employed as a public servant?

[@beesplaining1882]

Albo scored a cheap point with his question and Scomo took the populist reaction with sacking her. Cheap politics played by both sides.

[@fortymillioncoins9066]

Agree- Labor have no game playing vision- they fell into ScoMo's trap. Albo was a dunce and ScoMo used this to get rid of Holgate.

[@Sailing_Bungaree]

Absolutely, an own goal from ALP. Politics is a filthy dirty game, best watched from a good distance. There is blame to be apportioned on all players.

[@Steve211Ucdhihifvshi]

Hang on but, the government is the shareholder. They have every right to say replace her. Just like we would if we were major shareholders in a company that had stuffed up with popular opinion.

[@fortymillioncoins9066]

@@Steve211Ucdhihifvshi No. You can't just sack public servants. They have to have committed a serious crime and be convicted to be sacked- for example murder.

[@beesplaining1882]

@@Steve211Ucdhihifvshi that's technically correct. The problem was the inappropriate way Scomo did it and his populist based reason.

[@lincndad]

If there is no intention to sell then why has Startrak not been rebranded as Australia Post??

[@Steve211Ucdhihifvshi]

Because star track is a well known total clown run shit show. And it's a tax right off.

[@chrisstevens463]

@@Steve211Ucdhihifvshi Yes would agree as I have been exposed to their incompetence just recently, totally useless!

[@juanitamasian9414]

Australia Post should remain under the government, never privatized.

[@B_Bodziak]

The only reason to privatize the Post would be if costs and deficits were out of control and the govt had been unsuccessful in turning it around. Otherwise, why would the politicians want to privatize it -- unless, of course, those politicians were primed and ready for a cushy member of the private company's board of directors. .

[@cim888]

Sure but the executives should be paid a competitive wage/bonus otherwise other countries will take them instead.

[@fiddlestickzmuzik]

agree 100% sick n tired of this crap, everything goes up as soon as stuff is sold off to benefit shareholders. Hands off the PO.

[@Steve211Ucdhihifvshi]

The costs and deficits are out of control. They have been for many years, it's just creative accounting and ignorant people looking from the outside at figures they don't truly understand that think otherwise.

[@stendecstretcher4983]

Sell the post off to the Chinese they know how to run a business.

[@sheldonpopesp]

I wonder why they aren't looking at the NBN bonuses...

[@MrReallogs]

same reason barnaby didnt get thrown out and locked up for his water theft, or his mistresses job, same reason he got reelected as leader of the nationals, they dont care and are blatant criminals :)

[@danielthunder9876]

Exactly

[@MrMofo01]

because uncle Rupert says so!!!

[@lowcostiqchasm3226]

I worked at Australia Post for just under fifteen years and it was a nightmare. Christina Holgate was thrown under the bus. Ahmed Fahour saw the parcel boom coming and put in parcel infrastructure so he did his job. I think his 6 million a year was excessive. At one point he let the staff know he was foregoing a bonus he was entitled to, as if the staff would admire him. It has a very toxic workplace environment, there are so many amazing people working there who are miserable but they stay because they have families, rent, mortgages and lives in general. There are also some of the most dubious people I've ever met who they get away with criminal behaviour because of incompetent management. I left because of stress and failing health, my sister interacted with my manager on my behalf and she was appalled at his attempt to bully her. I would never recommend Australia Post as an employer or use their services, which is a shame.

[@spikeyflo]

What happened to Christine Holgate is disgusting. Absolutely Disgusting. I hope her legal action goes well.

[@prettyfardotcom]

Her payout will be more than 12k

[@beverleylumb8048]

It's amazing how they all say cut jobs and wages but never from the top

[@sashwrin]

If the government privatise the parcel part of Australia post then it will become a burden on the public since there is no money in letters. It will suffer like the British Royal Mail is when the British government split that organisation up.

[@thejourno4273]

This is why I pay as little tax as possible...our ministers have nothing better to do than prosecute $12k in watches...I would reduce by 30% the number of ministers while concurrently increasing their area of representation by 30%. I want to see some producitivy uplift and force them to focus on the biggest issues. Clearly they have too much time on their hands.

[@garyhost6289]

increasing the number of people they represent would only increase the relative importance of winning at any cost (including shady shenanigans). If anything, lower the area of representation and actually have them engage with and meet the people they're supposed to be representing! Spread out the party room resources so they can't be everywhere at once, and let actual human beings take the seats, not PR-consultant created mannequins.

[@thejourno4273]

@@garyhost6289 won't your proposal cost more? They have time to argue about watches. So they must have time to meet their constituents yes? So why we need to spend more on politicians?

[@Linux-computers]

Australia Post are absolute rip offs. During the beginning of 2020 Australia Post changed the price to send parcels/bubble envelopes to a ridiculous price, it went from less than $5 to now it's at least $20. How can you run a business when your budget is Totally eaten away with the cost of delivery. Tracking is expensive but I can handle that, it's just the price they changed it to send things interstate. They are nosy as and want to know every little details they can. Also I have noticed that if you go to many individual Australia Post Office places, each place will have their own prices instead of being the same all over Australia. They are an absolute stuff around, people should pay more attention to how much we are stuffed around by them

[@andrewvanderent7174]

How much did the investigation into the Cartier watch affair cost compared to the the $12,000 cost of the watches only to find she did nothing wrong? Disgraceful treatment of a great CEO who was turning the financial situation for Australia Post around. Why has this report failed to highlight this fact?

[@squishiet]

I got a few mins in and stopped watching. I don't understand how this is a big deal when those watches are nothing compared to how much large corps spend. I have family who have worked for austpost for years in low positions. From what i know austpost isn't run or owned by the gov and is a company of it's own. They treat their workers well and even the ones in low positions. I use to get jealous when my sister would come home with giftcards from work all the time from being rewarded for their hard work. More companies should reward their staff with the profits they make. It's probably not perfect but its better than a lot of other companies out there.

[@bruces2966]

THE P.M. MUST GO @ ONCE, HIS ACTIONS WERE DESPICABLE AND PROVE THAT HE WANTED HER REMOVED BECAUSE SHE STOOD IN THE WAY OF A FUTURE SALE OF THE PARCEL BUSINESS

[@neilforbes416]

Christine Holgate should be reinstated, not as CEO but as *CHAIRPERSON* of Australia Post while current Chairman, Lucio Di Bartolomeo should be sent flying out of Australia Post on the end of Miss Holgate's Size 6 shoe!(I don't think she wears boots). Miss Holgate is very much the egalitarian CEO, mixing and socialising with anyone in her employ, not just the *upper echelon.*

[@shannonschneider8413]

More money spent on the entire witch hunt than the watches were worth

[@peregrinemccauley6615]

Good on yer ABC . What a bargain to the taxpayer is old Auntie . Eight cents , I mean four cents per day . I forgot the ruling LMP , Liberal Murdoch Party , had slashed the broadcasters funding by half .

[@erichoberg3502]

But we're still paying 8c per day.

[@joejugashvili3616]

Eight cents or four cents per day...... way more than they're worth.

[@peregrinemccauley6615]

@@joejugashvili3616 Wow . A Hominid Cretinoid Australis . I thought BOEING had recalled all of these . They're easily identifiable by their limited linguistic abilities and their errant Manoeuvrability Control Augmentation System , that unfortunately realises a markedly stooped gait . However all is not lost for you . Don't vote and definitely don't reproduce and all will be well . Run along now and keep your head down . Oh , sorry . How about buying a Big Mac and a six pack of light beer then .

[@B_Bodziak]

I'm in the US, and this seems a lot like US politics and political theater. However and regardless of how it's sugar-coated, rewarding senior members in a publically-owned entity with Cartier watches is 100% ridiculous -- unless, of course, every member of the postal work force also received a "gift" of the equivalent value in ratio to their annual salary. Just because the post made more money than it brought in does not mean it's a free-for-all in spending the profits. This blonde lady trying to sugar-coat using public dollars, even if gotten via profit, as if the dollars weren't public monies is crazy. Why? Because I bet when the Post was in the negative and needed an influx of cash, it certainly wasn't banks the post executives were expecting the cash to save them. I hope this has sparked Australians' anger! On a different note, the US could learn a few things by shadowing some of Australia's post workers. We are obviously doing something wrong if the Aussie Post is making money hand-over-fist.

[@peace8373]

This happens in private corporations every day. And remember these are expenses they can write off. You should tackle the corruption in the corporate class, but you prefer to do political posturing instead of solving problems.

[@b.biscuit6424]

Considering she was allowed to give them up to $150,000 as a bonus I don't get what the problem over the watches is....

[@sirtra]

Buying gifts on a company credit card is inappropriate and required zero authorizations as long as she kept the cost under her pre-approved limit. This is almost certainly why they only cost 3k each and why she did it this way, she didnt break any laws but she should (and would) have known better but got caught. Giving employees millions in bonuses (whilst horrific and appalling to some) is actually appropriate since it requires approval and multiple people to authorize - its not something which can happen by just one person acting inappropriately. If the ABC did a better job they would of explained this so people unfamiliar with the corporate world and charging expenses could actually understand what she actually did and why it was such a big deal... instead they focused on the speculation of privatizing Aust Post and workplace bullying. Her claims she did nothing wrong is laughable when you dig into the details.

[@lordcaptain73]

I was on the bandwagon against Holgate. I regret my thoughts and she shouldn’t have been attacked like that for political gain by either party especially Kitching getting a big in at either end. A fair decision would’ve been reinstatement during the recent hearings at the very latest. An apology by all Members and a cleaning out of the Board is overdue.

[@fortymillioncoins9066]

AGREE!

[@petermono]

Sadly, permanent damage is done to her. But we can still get rid of these politicians!

[@laurenwright9770]

Lojzlsdgdh

[@beercooler]

Do an investigation on the NBN and their bonuses, that's a absolute joke

[@jamesscott7616]

Here here. We have the world's thinnest broadband. Thanks to the Coalition of fools.

[@beercooler]

@@jamesscott7616 Labors plan was future proof, but people voted for this second grade shit and then NBN gave themselves big bonuses 🙄

[@gavin479]

What the heck… seriously. She lost her job over $12k of watches. Four gifts, what a crock of rubbish

[@PotatoesRnice]

The culture of corporate excess, not including Holgate and AusPost, is disgusting. I need to get a job as an exec.

[@j.kapiris]

If you were smart enough and good enough you already would.

[@AnnoyingInflatable]

I had completely forgot about this given all the other incompetencies that happened since. Britney Higgins, bungled vaccine rollout, quarantine failure, flip flopping on net zero by 2050 etc. etc.

[@briss88]

Stop the tax cuts, raise taxes on the rich and close loopholes for corporations. Then there would never be a need to sell Australia Post

[@heatherlampe5142]

She's exactly right. It wasn't public money. Australia Post is owned by itself. The government is the sole shareholder who gets paid dividends each year. It works at a profit so it's self sustained. The government have been trying to sell Post for 30 years. That would honestly just inject a large, one off sum into the government then never get any more dividends. I could understand this if it were costing the government money but it's profitable. It makes the government money. CEO's make a lot of money. Christine was absolutely worth the money. Bonuses should be given.

[@whocanmakeyourwholeweek7272]

at least youre educated on the matter. unlike most people who think its taxpayer funded( which we know its not) good comment👍

[@Diode5]

The watches are a storm in a tea cup issue compared to the billions the LNP have pissed away on things like Robo Debt. In terms of privatising Aus Post (or Star Track), if it were to be done it would have to be regulated to the point to guarantee rural services. Just like Telstra it will be all dependent on subsidies to pay for the shops that won't turn a profit but are required to service the community.

[@madonnawaugh3471]

We are subsidising all things that previous state and federal governments sold.qantas, medibank, banks etc

[@fisherfriendman]

Or the welfare card.

[@nkelly.9]

Look at the coalition and how they have installed stooges and the craven behaviour of the stooges. I wonder what they see when they look at themselves in the mirror. Is all that cash worth it?

[@erichoberg3502]

Apparently it is. The prime example is that the Beetrooter is back as Deputy PM. They have no shame when it comes to getting our tax dollars for themselves and they're mates.

[@nkelly.9]

@@erichoberg3502 They make the mafia look like monks

[@mc-ty4br]

It's disgraceful that she is rewarded with barking from the PM🐾 for a job very well done. It is within her prerogative, and it was money well spent. To keep smart employees, you need to pay them competitively. I don't know why it's assumed that public sector employees should be paid less than private ones!

[@wyattfamily8997]

And despite Albanese's bleating the cost came out of Australia Post "operating revenue", (profits) NOT TAXPAYER FUNDS".

[@shanefreeman7230]

Can 4 corners do a piece on the friendlyjeordies producer arrest and the use of counter terrorism police

[@adamedwards-fitzpatrick8687]

lets face it , the government was caught with it’s pants pulled down. So why is four corners trying to pull them back up again. Instead of shaming them for what they were about to do to the Australian people and post.

[@j.kapiris]

WTF? Because you don't like the report you think they're not doing their job

[@sashwrin]

Why wasn’t the ministers ask what evidence they had that public money was used when the government doesn’t actually support Australia post financially?

[@shannon7002]

Glad to see that this Business Lady Has now won a BIG payment for unfair dismissal. She worked magic for Australian post. Really surprised our Prime minister was so quick to offer adverse criticism.

[@allysonyoung2771]

Sounds to me that the big spending and money heaped on CEOs should definitely be reigned in.. But I have noticed a good positive change in Australia Post. Just a few years ago, Australia Post seemed to be going under. But now it has greatly modernised and become much more efficient. Full of creative ideas. Yes, just get rid of the leeches at the top.

[@cim888]

If your best and brightest are not hired/paid to work somewhat for the Australian people, then the best and brightest will be working against the Australian people.

[@davespanksalot8413]

Cartier watches? I've never been so disgusted in my life!! Any civilized human knows at a minimum to go with Jaeger-LeCoultre watches. Heathens, no wonder we're right on track for a Mad Max future...

[@boeingdriver29]

Make mine a Lange.

[@davespanksalot8413]

@@boeingdriver29 Ha ha, nice. You have expensive taste!

[@fredericocr1]

Those watches were nothing and she was the best boss post ever had.

[@scottmountford1021]

Exactly! She gives a 3,000aud bonus and no story, the watches were a lightning rode for cheap, hypocritical politics. She was widely loved by regional post offices who credited her with saving their businesses, but that meant nothing in the end.

[@stevehansen6037]

Ahmed Fahour 10mil+ for himself? The watches are a bad look:( but Holgate is far from Fahour’s disgusting bonuses:(

[@brentoncoad3447]

By the far the worst company to work for!!! I was a parcel contractor for 10 years and was treated pretty poorly. Same story they look after the executives but the ones that bust there gut day in day out 12 hours days and weekends get a garbage wage and not one bonus in 10 years. Absolute joke of a organisation

[@myshinobi1987]

There should be a referendum to let the people decide whether Australia Post gets sold.

[@jedics1]

These are the types of people running our country, we just have no one with leadership qualities in government, you know the basic stuff like integrity, vision and wisdom!

[@tpw13]

Still couldn't be worse than the privatisation of all telecommunications networks in Australia.. could it??

[@methos4866]

This is what happens when you let a public service become what is effectively a business when it shouldn't be. The answer is not to privatize it but to make it a government funded organization once more. It shouldn't be a business but a service.

[@fishofgold6553]

✔ Correct!

[@jimmyliu_youtube]

I think it derives from the so-called “work hard, play hard” culture. Except that it is thousands of workers who work hard, so the executives can play whatever they want.

[@HappyHusbandnWife]

She wast targeted simply because she wants AuPost becomes Australia's bank. Plain n simple. She went against the BANKS, and this is what happens.

[@grogmonster4977]

Don't sell any part of Australia Post!!

[@marzigeisha]

Can we compare it to the money spent by the Prime Minister and other politicos?

[@kryptyx111]

All these people get paid more than government officials, police and army, but yet what does AusPost do to deserve more than the people that run and protect this country. If everyone is communicating via phone, email, text, etc, then how can AusPost afford 6 figure salaries and bonuses

[@cinemaipswich4636]

AP is a franchise, with many private citizen investing in a branch office. To take that away from them, a huge amount of compensation would need to flow. AP should apply for a bank license, so as to compete with the big four.

[@HandmadeDarcy]

The fact that compensation would be needed is no reason not to reverse the piecemeal privatisation to return this vital service to the public sector (including the banking they used to do via the state-owned bank we also used to have).

[@preppercoops741]

Senator Kitching and Henderson should not only go, both must go. Both are not only an embarrassment to the notion of Australian values but assault Australian values at every turn.

[@epicmediocrity2603]

Comments turned off in 5..4..3..2

[@epicmediocrity2603]

@@erubenet o I see what you did there....well done you chair

[@dennisbauer3315]

If you want to privatize any thing this is the way its done, just look around you. As usual as they are very smart, the private part gets all the profit, the tax payer pays for the maintenance. .

[@dennisbauer3315]

@Corporate Overlord The government takes money from lower and middle classes and hands it over to the corporations. Corporations pay no to little tax, Corporations pay governments through lobbyists, it goes to politicians to do what the corporations want the governments to do. The corporations get their money back 10 fold this way.

[@raven4475]

One of the few ABC channels that allows comments.....

[@Blackheathenly]

And you go and waste it with that one.

[@yukiefromoz2573]

I thought AP was already privatised. That's why postage costs went through the roof a few years ago before the pandemic even. The costs to send parcels overseas are ridiculous nowadays.

[@brianterence3211]

Have you heard of the cost pressures caused by Covid ?

[@yukiefromoz2573]

@@brianterence3211 I said even before the pandemic, did you read?

[@Steve211Ucdhihifvshi]

Really Brian, so why is it free with Amazon if you have a TV subscription then? Cost pressures my ass.

[@florianwolf9380]

They chopped Christine Holgate because she opposed the privatisation of Australia Post. The claim that four Cartier watches were "inappropriately" awarded as bonuses is ridiculous; they could have received tens of thousands of dollars in bonuses, but were rrewarded each with a 3,000 $ Cartier watch - I call that a very responsible & resourceful use of corporate money. Christine Holgate was thrown under the bus because she was a GOOD CEO and a WOMAN, plain and simple.

[@SunnyG4853]

They knew years ago... the dollars are in the parcel industry... yet set up their own companies to reap the rewards.. outside of government (ie Australian post).

[@davidanderson7159]

So this is why it's taking 2.5-3 weeks on average for my payslips to come from central NSW to SE QLD. What a joke. If they didn't have to send me a new time sheet with my payslips they could save themselves at minimum $20,000 a year on a slow outdated service and not have to wait upto 3 weeks up and upto 3 weeks back before billing their customers.

[@brianterence3211]

Covid. Closed male traffic. It is not complicated as to why postal services were ( are ) slowed.

[@lynettesunderland2274]

Morrison should stand aside. He is not fit to lead this wonderful country. Get rid of him.

[@Dreymasmith]

Parcels must be reintegrated into Australia Post so that it is inextricably intertwined and cannot be sold off. And AusPost execs should be paid as the public servants they are supposed to be. Can't see that happening under this lot. And where is the sense in selling off the most profitable part (parcels)? The govt is "shareholder" on our behalf, not on the behalf of Liberal ideology. They forget that. And the watches and other "bonuses" were a joint decision of chair and board, yet only Holgate was told to go? They all should have gone or none, and frankly, if they all think AusPost is a private corporation and not a public body then they definitely should all go.

[@AshleyJohnFrost]

Interesting story, well put together. Great work to the ALP for ruining the career of clearly an outstanding CEO, Christine Holgate - for the paltry sum of 12k. And the prime-minister jumped on the cover my ass bandwagon as well. We need better governance from both sides of parliament and aim to scrutinise issues that are important and not just great headlines that appeal to a shallow and somewhat vacuous news media.

[@CrustyUgg]

It's happening all over the world. Real problems aren't deal with. Problems that arent major issues are inflated bc they bring in the views to the main stream media.

[@CarloFerraro]

Slow deliveries, hugely overstaffed, each year more expensive, an impenetrable mob, manage huge amounts of money, sustained by people that still go there to buy stamps!!!!

[@PikachooUpYou]

I wont mention the LNP because they don’t deserve to be mentioned but this incident is the reason I won’t vote for Labor. Instead the Greens and other Independents will get my primary vote and preferences and those of all my family. Disgusting behaviour by Labor

[@polar199]

nobody cares

[@downundermtb4744]

Most of us already know the truth without watching this …One Word Banks.. Greedy Bankers

[@singyiutse8386]

before privatization, please consider carefully. otherwise problems may happen everyday.

[@imarockerimaroller2082]

An insignificant 12 grand distraction to take people's attention away from the real theft, people's lives and freedoms that are absolutely priceless 🤬🤬

[@dennisbauer3315]

PAUL FLETCHER:There'll be no change to the ownership of Australia Post. Australia Post is publicly ownned. It will stay publicly owned. hahahahahahah ohhh hahahha roaring with laughter.

[@deborahduthie4519]

It’s something that has happened. Let’s move on. My mail is only 2x per week now. Service has already been cut. It’s our Auspost so don’t sell it off but don’t give bonuses. They get paid to do a job. Just stop hiring thieves. I don’t want my bills by email. I like getting a mailed to my address, a paper trail copy of my bills, so I can pay in the manner that I wish.

[@Steve211Ucdhihifvshi]

You know they invented these things after the gestetner called printers. They are marvellous. Hooked up to a dohicky called a computer and the "interwebs... Oh wait internet" you can Receive your bill instantly, print it off a thousand times if you want...

[@nickbangkok3365]

at the end of the day she spent a coupla grand on watches, but there was guys taking $400k bonuses under the previous ....errr.....leader from middle eastern descent. She got boned.

[@kelligatenby7763]

You were a women in a mans world....I worked for 23 years, so proud to be part of a wonderful organisation.......hard working people......my dad was a Pm.When I suffered bullied by my Pm I was let down by my organisation and State retail..... So sad

[@warrickterry4742]

Her real crime was considering using the postal system for a new bank run by auspost. She should be running the country! But Australia showed they don't deserve her.

[@defaultsettings63]

AusPost is a government-owned entity, but it operates as a commercial business. That, to me, seems to be the main source of tension in this entire brouhaha. If a company is gonna thrive in the marketplace, it needs to attract and keep the best people it can find, and reward them when they do a good job. Who cares about a 3k watch if the person helped the business make millions of dollars? That's well understood in the market, but a government owned business is always going to be vulnerable to being used as a political football.

[@animalfarm7467]

It's sad that Four Corners never mentioned the CEO before Christine Holgate (Ahmed Fahour) recruited by the government was a previous employee of the Boston Consulting Group. The same Boston Consulting Group commissioned to consult on the future of Australia Post. I said it was sad; I didn't say it was unexpected. Lying by omission is major component in contemporary propaganda.

[@brianterence3211]

And for your information take a look at the annual stipend of former CEO Ahmed Fahour. He received $5 million AUD's p.a. whereas Christine Holgate's salary was $1.5 million AUD's. The Chairman of the Board still occupies his position but the CEO who turned the APO's business model into profit got fired. This is outrageous.

[@awood4479]

Not only that, after Fahour left AusPost in 2017, guess who he went to work for, even if only briefly..... BCG!

[@Saucyakld]

We don't bother sending parcels from New Zealand to Australia or Britain. None were received when sent. Money is now sent via wire transfers, much easier and always received

[@joejugashvili3616]

Try bitcoin. Quick, easy, cheap to do.

[@juanitarichards1074]

My small semi rural town in NZ now has the postal service at a local book shop.....and the way our postal service is set up our mail is often delayed. Instead of coming to my town for delivery it all goes to the nearest big town for sorting which causes delays. And we have fewer posties as well, which means mail is only delivered 3 days a week.

[@lorrainebiggs8058]

There is a lot of things here in Australia that need investigation not just Australia Post !!!!!

[@lorrainebiggs8058]

Scott Morrison needs to be investigated and his administration !!!!

[@davewray9909]

Fahour belongs in jail!

[@rockynanach]

Canada did pretty much the same thing. Almost like they just followed the playbook. Not to different when Telecom took over PMG.

[@wu-tangisimmortal5552]

Wonder how the revenue issues would look a lot less dire if they paid their executives less or didn’t give them millions in bonuses under Farhour and others.

[@beverleylumb8048]

The letters are always going to go down but parcel post should make up for it

[@Linux-computers]

Australia Post are absolute rip offs. During the beginning of 2020 Australia Post changed the price to send parcels/bubble envelopes to a ridiculous price, it went from less than $5 to now it's at least $20. How can you run a business when your budget is Totally eaten away with the cost of delivery. Tracking is expensive but I can handle that, it's just the price they changed it to send things interstate. They are nosy as and want to know every little details they can. Also I have noticed that if you go to many individual Australia Post Office places, each place will have their own prices instead of being the same all over Australia. They are an absolute stuff around, people should pay more attention to how much we are stuffed around by them

[@_bluephoenix_]

And yet pollies can get pay rises for no reason and that's just fine? I don't agree with anyone getting any bonuses via taxpayers money during these times. There is no justification when as Albanese pointed out, we are in a recession and business and people are losing jobs!

[@Tarchoom]

If anything they should do what the CEO of Nintendo did when the going gets tough they reduce their wages to minimise the impact in bad times then when back in properous times they can increase theirs back to normal. Wisdom i see it as.

[@lk8300]

Australia post was going to start their own bank and cash currency backed by gold. All of a sudden this happens?

[@gregbailey45]

Wow!

[@byarichand]

Australia Post: and let's call it what it is- an unfound, 'yet now found' death recogniser. Post People know their community, especially in regional and remote Australia. The logo and Symbols f Community are synonymous are they not. Until the Government has eroded the brand itself in this process. What a stellar organization and an important part of the fabric of community and society.

[@animalfarm7467]

But this government believes in the words of Margaret Thatcher, "There is no such thing as Society".

[@garydonnison3836]

The international hyenas are circling and eventually they`ll scoop up Australia post

[@Steve211Ucdhihifvshi]

Let's hope, they can't do any worse than the shit show they turned it into now.

[@HavokTheorem]

I have no love whatsoever for career businesspeople, but she seemed to get the job done and improve the function and sustainability of the service. Hatchet job.

[@grahamdowdell4356]

Bonuses, what for delivering our letters days late and parcels damaged? If that’s the case they’ve well and truly exceeded their KPIs.

[@Steve211Ucdhihifvshi]

Exactly. Yet that poor precious woman is just cut because she didn't get to walk away with 10mill like the other hopeless douche bag did. And blame it on sexism and bullying...

[@lorrainewest7408]

Because these sods are often or seem to be incentivised to run a Government Department of the people ownership into the the hands of Private Ownership. Run it into the ground.

[@IvarDaigon]

There are a lot of people further down the food chain at auspost and it's subsidiaries who put in inordinate amounts of time and effort to get things done... where are their watches? asking for a friend..

[@laurenwotherspoon910]

These men can't handle it when a woman does a better job then them... Disgraceful

[@winstonmcgovern9695]

It’s not about woman/men, it’s all about someone standing in the way of a governments agenda. Big $$$

[@mrozboss]

I am first Australian decendant I am employed buy Australia post and a bau I've had no work for 6 weeks now but there doing lots of ot I love Australia post but it's got me buggered what is happening in the organisation :(

[@tpw13]

Australia Post has just started leaving junk mail for the random junk they sell in my letterbox as well as my mail.. oh yeah i can't wait to come down to auspost and buy a magic doghair glove as seen on tv

[@pacificbowmen7384]

A Government organization is mandated to provide a public service. A private companies is mandated to provide a profit for its shareholders. Therefor the myth that privatizing a government asset will lead to cheaper, more efficient service is a total lie. Anyone perpetuating such a lie should be held with the contempt they deserve.

[@josephj6521]

True. Everything that has been privatized costs consumers more and costs employees as their salaries become lower over time whilst those executive leeches at the top get huge increases. We all lose. It’s a con.