How to make a Submission to Australia Post Inquiry

How to write your submission

On 25 February 2021, Senator Pauline Hanson moved a motion for a wide-ranging Senate inquiry into Christine Holgate’s removal as CEO of Australia Post, which passed without opposition—the government realised it would be futile to try to stop it!

Watch Pauline Hanson's  10 min speech from the day before, 24 February 2021, laying out all of the essential facts of the entire Christine Holgate affair.

The Citizens Party is calling on all concerned Australians to make a submission to the Senate inquiry into Australia Post.
Read 2 March 2021 - Media Release - You are the public—tell the Senate’s Australia Post inquiry your ‘expectations’

Submissions close 19 March 2021, but don’t delay—make your submission today!

If you do not want your submission published, write CONFIDENTIAL at the top in large letters.

When writing a submission there a few things to keep in mind:

1. Submissions can be as long or short as you wish. A submission is simply a letter by you to the Committee giving your personal perspective on this issue.

2. Your voice is important. Every submission is looked at by the committee (whether they decide to publish all of them online or not).

3. Make it personal. Introduce yourself or/and the organisation you represent and include why you are making the submission. Be sure to keep it relevant to the terms of reference and highlight your own perspective.

4. Discuss some or all of the Terms of Reference (mentioned below). Submissions need to be relevant to the terms of reference on the Committee’s website. While most of the terms of reference are for the specific stakeholders in Australia Post, including Christine Holgate, the licensed post offices (LPOs), and the unions, to address in their submissions, the general public also has the right to weigh in, on two issues in particular: “public expectations”; and the importance of post offices to local communities (covered by ‘h’ below).

Terms of Reference:

On 25 February 2021, the Senate referred to the Environment and Communications References Committee for inquiry and report by 30 April 2021:

The circumstances leading to the direction by the Minister for Communications to the Chair of Australia Post on 22 October 2020, that the Chief Executive Officer of Australia Post, Christine Holgate, be stood down pending an investigation into her gifting in 2018 of watches to four managers who secured a $225 million investment into the organisation, with particular reference to:

1. if the gift of the watches was with the knowledge of the then Australia Post Chair and within existing Australia Post policy;
2. how the gifting of four watches compares with bonuses and gifts provided during the term of the previous Chief Executive Officers and within other government owned corporations such as the National Broadband Network;
3. actions of the Board of Australia Post following Ms Holgate’s offer of resignation on 2 November 2020 leading up to the Chair’s request for her to sign an amendment to her contract which would mean the immediate termination of her employment without any benefits, as against the $11 million bonus paid to her predecessor when he stepped down;
4. the veracity of evidence provided by the Chair of Australia Post to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee during an estimates hearing on 9 November 2020;
5. the current status of Ms Holgate’s employment with Australia Post;
6. the issues surrounding the secret review of Australia Post by the Boston Consulting Group leading to the introduction of changes to Australia Post’s service model;
7. the future of reductions to Australia Post’s service model; and
8. any other related matters.

How to deliver your submission

Submissions can be delivered to the Committee in two ways:

1. Post your written submission to:

Committee Secretary
Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communications
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

or

2. Lodge your submission online:

This Committee prefers you to use the Upload Submission facility on the Committee website. When you are on their website look for the button on the right hand side that says Upload Submission. [You will need to create a My Parliament log in]

If you have trouble using the online portal you can email your submission to ec.sen@aph.gov.au
(Please make sure you include your name and contact details in the email accompanying your submission.)

You can call the Committee Secretariat on 02 6277 3526 for more general information about making a submission.