MICHELLE ROWLAND MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS
MEMBER FOR GREENWAY
 
AUSTRALIA POST EXECUTIVE BONUSES

Australia is in recession.

Over half a million workers have lost their jobs and families are struggling to pay their bills.

The notion that senior Australia Post executives could be handing themselves millions in bonuses is both obscene and out of touch.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the CEO of Australia Post quietly took a proposal for executive bonuses to the Board, despite publicly stating on 31 March that no bonuses would be paid.

After being caught in the act, the public company claimed a decision on executive bonuses had "not yet been made".

This is riddled with contradictions and serious questions need to be asked:

• How has the position gone from a declaration of having no bonuses on 31 March, to no decision has been made on 28 August?
• Why is there still ‘no decision’ on 28 August despite the release of audited financial results for 2019-2020, and all other remuneration being decided?
• And why did several directors on the Board defer questions to the CEO’s office about the bonuses?

Something here does not smell right.

Minister Fletcher and the Australia Post CEO have consistently misled the Australian public by using COVID-19 as a smokescreen to degrade postal services and cut jobs.

At a time when the country is in recession, and postal services are being cut, Australians would be offended that bonuses for highly remunerated public executives could have even been recommended.

  
SATURDAY, 29 AUGUST 2020