24 December 2010

Gary Humphries comes out swinging for his Post Office

| johnboy
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[First filed: Dec 23, 2010 @ 10:18]

Liberal Senator Gary Humphries is a few days late on the story but is using fighting talk in defence of his post office at Parliament House (and also the one in Belconnen).

“This is totally unacceptable. There has been next to no consultation with the community,” Senator Gary Humphries said today.

“Post Offices are very important service providers to our local community on which many people rely.

“It’s frankly, not good enough to just close the doors and to hope no-one notices.

“Australia Post must halt the closures until our community has had a chance to have their say,” Senator Humphries concluded.

Sounding a lot like a socialist there Gazza.

UPDATE: The ABC now reports that the Parliament House post office is safe but Belconnen remains under threat.

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For once I agree with Humphries but I doubt he would be out swinging if it was a liberal government decision – then you bet we would be hearing about economic savings and costs to the community etc etc etc.

Affirmative Action Man8:48 pm 29 Dec 10

Go get ’em Humphrey – Grrr.

Fair enough PM, I haven’t been to the Belco mall PO. Just as long as you can park reasonably close, and they have the early parcel pickup window open as many suburban POs do, there would be no loss of service.

Breda, that could be true, but the PO boxes at the Belco mall are actually outside; I would hope/expect that to continue.

A PO in a mall actually reduces access, unless it is open 24/7/365. I can go to my PO box at a suburban PO anytime to collect my mail. And, I don’t have to navigate a mall to reach it.

I understand there are negotiations between Australia Post and Westfield regarding a potential merger of the Belconnen Business Centre (the one set to close) and the one within the recently expanded Belconnen Mall. No certainty regarding that, but they are trying to create a bigger post office with greater public access.

Yes, one wonders if Gazza would have reacted as strongly if the Parly House PO was not involved.

As Graham Richardson said: “Always back self-interest – at least you know it’s trying”.

merlin bodega3:44 pm 24 Dec 10

So typical to see that the politicians are keeping their post office but most of the country is either losing theirs or having to put up with an intolerable service from a government owned monopoly with queues so long that gestating women can conceive and deliver their children before dispatching their offspring. Typical of these scum to get their way. Why can’t Humphries use as much energy to bust open the monopoly and do what he is supposed to be doing, that being serving the community.

Growling Ferret3:12 pm 24 Dec 10

Seeing as the average Mins Office staffer has seen daylight for less than 2 hours this year, a post office is a fair swap. If the closest you have been to a shop is Peters of Kensington, you need somewhere handy to pick it up.

Well, it looks like the Parliament House post office is safe, but not so much Belconnen Business Centre.

Ian,
You mightn’t get out much. The queue at both post offices is more than a koala can bear most times. Also, just quickly think of another post office in the Parliamentary triangle.

Back on topic, it is good that someone is trying to save these post offices.

I assume that the offices are being closed because no-one is actually using them

“It has been revealed that post offices at Belconnen and Parliament House will are set to be closed.”…so is it ‘will’ or ‘are’?

amarooresident310:37 am 23 Dec 10

Gary has been a busy boy lately, hasn’t he?

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