“The simple truth is I was bullied out of my job. I was humiliated and driven to despair,” Ms Holgate said.
“I was thrown under the bus of the chairman of Australia Post, to curry favour with his political masters.”
Ms Holgate left her position after political fallout following revelations she spent $20,000 on rewarding four executives with Cartier watches.
She said she has never spoken to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and believes she was treated differently when he called for her sacking in parliament.
“I was humiliated by our Prime Minister for committing no offence,” Ms Holgate said.
On October 22 last year, Mr Morrison vehemently called for Ms Holgate to stand aside.
“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,” he said during Question Time.
Today Ms Holgate said she believes the board responded to Mr Morrison’s calls.
“I don’t know why the Prime Minister took the action he did. I’m putting to you today I was unlawfully stood down and my contract got repudiated,” Ms Holgate said.
“I’ve only ever asked for respect and I have never been allowed it.
“So, maybe I answer that slightly differently.
“I don’t know why the Prime Minister did what he did.
“But I was unlawfully stood down, I believe, because he instructed it to do so.”
Ms Holgate said media articles that commented on the cost of her personal watch were a gendered attack that would not have happened to a man in her position.
“I think it would be fair to say I’ve never seen a media article comment about a male politician’s watch and yet I was depicted as a prostitute for making those comments, humiliated,” Ms Holgate said.
“I have never seen any male public servant depicted in that way.
“So do I believe it’s partially a gender issue? You’re absolutely right I do.
“But do I believe the real problem here is bullying and harassment and abuse of power?
“You’re absolutely right I do.”
She said she did not agree to stand down from her position, as was widely publicised by the chairman of the organisation Lucio Di Bartolomeo.
“I have said consistently since October 22 that I have done nothing wrong. I have not agreed to stand down,” Ms Holgate said.
“I have provided comprehensive written proof to support these statements to Australia Post and its chairman, have provided evidence of any kind.
“They have not. They have produced lies.”
This content first appear on 9news