ChamberHouse of Representatives on 11/06/2020

STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS - Australia PostSpeaker :Swanson, Meryl, MP

Ms SWANSON (Paterson) (13:55): I don't know about you, but when the post comes at my place it's usually bills, and a lot of them have been going up under this government. Sometimes, during COVID, it's been a lovely note or a card from someone unexpected. But the point is: the postie still comes. This government, through the guise of COVID, wants to change it so that, in areas like mine, the postie only delivers letters once every seven business days. The Prime Minister wants to ride roughshod. It is like the old days where the postmaster-general gave the tick to the postie to deliver. The postmaster-general would be rolling in his grave if he could see what this government is doing to Australia Post all over this country.

I hear people saying, 'Yes, but there are a lot more parcels; there's a bit of internet shopping going on.' Indeed there is. But Australia Post can deliver a parcel and a letter. In communities like mine, where we have older people who may be on a pension, budgeting from week to week, seven days is a long time between receiving mail. What if it's a legal document? There are so many reasons we need to keep Australia Post relevant, and none more than one in four posties losing their jobs in regional Australia. I say to the government: hands off the posties. Keep delivering, and not just the veil of delivering— (Time expired)