How Pauline Hanson tried to send stubby holders to say 'no hard feelings' to public housing residents after calling them 'alcoholics and drug addicts' - and why Australia Post was FURIOUS they weren't delivered
- Australia Post has become embroiled in a scandal with Senator Pauline Hanson
- The Senator tried sending stubby holders to locked-down public housing units
- Days earlier she labelled residents of the towers as drug addicts and alcoholics
- The stubby holders were accompanied with a note that read: 'No hard feelings'.
Australia Post has become embroiled in a 'storm in a stubby cooler' after Pauline Hanson's One Nation-branded beer holders weren't delivered to residents in a locked-down public housing tower.
But the agency denies its chief executive threatened the council or contacted Senator Hanson directly about the hold-up.
Senator Hanson dispatched the 114 stubby holders in July with the slogan 'I've got the guts to say what you're thinking'.
They were accompanied with a note that read: 'No hard feelings'.
Australia Post has become embroiled in a scandal after pushing for Pauline Hanson's One Nation-branded stubby holders to be delivered to residents in a locked-down public housing tower
Senator Hanson dispatched the 114 stubby holders in July with the slogan 'I've got the guts to say what you're thinking'
Days earlier, she labelled residents of the Melbourne towers drug addicts and alcoholics, claiming they were from war-torn countries and English was probably their second language.
Council officials overseeing the government-enforced lockdowns intercepted the parcels and decided against delivering them, concerned they could further inflame tensions.
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In an email first published by the Nine newspapers, Australia Post warned the council it would notify the police unless the parcels were delivered without delay.
In the email, dated Saturday July 11, Australia Post's general counsel and corporate secretary Nick Macdonald said the mail was of 'paramount importance'.
'It is a fundamental principle that mail should be delivered as addressed without delay or interference, subject to safety and other relevant protocols being adhered to,' the email said.
Australia Post claimed the email did not amount to a threat and denied chief executive Christine Holgate personally intervened
He also said if the mail were not delivered he would have to notify Senator Hanson of the delay.
Ms Holgate and senior Australia Post managers were all copied into the email.
Australia Post claimed the email did not amount to a threat and denied chief executive Christine Holgate personally intervened.
At the time, One Nation senators were considering whether to vote in parliament in favour of overturning a temporary relaxation of postal delivery rules.
'Australia Post confirms that Ms Holgate did not speak to Senator Hanson or One Nation on this matter, nor did she threaten Melbourne City Council,' the agency said in a statement on Thursday.
Senator Hanson dismissed the controversy and used it to market more One Nation merchandise
But the agency confirmed it contacted both the City of Melbourne and Senator Hanson about the matter.
Australia Post said the agency took its obligation to deliver mail seriously.
'Upon subsequently being made aware the items did not reach their ultimate destination, we raised it with the City of Melbourne and engaged with the sender (Senator Hanson) in good faith to resolve the matter,' it said.
'Commonwealth laws prohibit any conduct which interferes with the mail, and make it clear that Australia Post is obliged to complete the delivery of Australians' mail to the designated address.'
Senator Hanson dismissed the controversy and used it to market more One Nation merchandise.
'Talk about a storm in a stubby cooler,' she posted on Twitter.
