New Australia Post delivery schedules and standards commence Monday, 15 April. Photo: James Coleman.
New mail and parcel delivery schedules will start today (15 April) as part of the Federal Government’s plans to modernise Australia Post.
The new delivery performance standards will streamline Australia Post’s services and modernise its delivery networks, and are designed to ensure its long-term financial sustainability.
They come after a review and a year-long consultation period with consumers, small businesses, licensees, advocates and Australia Post’s workforce and were defined in collaboration between Australia Post, its workforce and the Communications Workers Union after co-sponsored delivery trials.
Australia Post says four in five Australian households bought something online in 2023, with 9.5 million households receiving a parcel last year. Meanwhile, letter volumes have declined to less than 35 per cent of their peak in 2008.
The new standards will result in:
- A reduction in reserved letter delivery frequency to every second business day for 98 per cent of locations
- An extension to the time that Australia Post has to deliver letters by one business day
- A change in the way Australia Post manages priority mail so it can deliver services at a more commercial rate and work with customers to set appropriate terms and conditions, and
- Updating the geographical classification of Australia Post retail outlets to reflect the current Australian Statistical Geography Standard.
The government stresses the new standards will not change the minimum number of post offices that Australia Post must maintain nationally, including the number in rural, regional and remote areas, nor services available at Australia Post retail outlets.
It says postal delivery workers will continue daily services, but the composition of their work will change to support the daily delivery of parcels.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said Australia Post is a publicly owned national institution that’s cherished by millions of Australians.
“The way Australians use the national postal service is changing, and it’s critical Australia Post modernises to support customers and small businesses, local communities, and support greater economic productivity,” she said.
“These amendments reflect how Australians now interact with Australia Post and will help improve the company’s financial sustainability.
“I thank the many consumers, businesses, workers and advocates who engaged with the government through this process, dating back to the consultation paper we launched in March last year,” she added.
“These changes show it is possible to modernise and boost productivity while supporting good, secure postal worker jobs”.
Minister for Finance Senator Katy Gallagher added, “These changes support Australia Post as it evolves to meet the current needs of Australians.
“These changes also ensure Australia Post’s ongoing financial sustainability, enabling it to continue serving all Australians, now and into the future.”
Original Article published by Andrew McLaughlin on PS News.
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