Australia Post’s Christine Corbett and the Regional Australia Institute’s Jack Archer discuss the future of regional post offices
This Radio Broadcast was presented by ABC Rural on March 10, 2015.
Chewton’s Australian Post Office Owner, Robert Palmer, Australia Post’s Christine Corbett, and Deputy CEO for Regional Australia Institute, Jack Archer, all voice their opinions and ideas about the possibilities that the future holds for Australia Post in regards to regional Australia.
The Australian Post, Post Offices are often at a regional town’s center and are generally one of the longest standing businesses. Robert Palmer, Chewton’s Post Office owner, says that despite the many attempts to close the Post Office, it still remains today as a rock of the town. However, the changes that Australia Post are currently experiencing are still affecting this regional town. Mr Palmer recounts how, even over the past two years, the number of letters are diminishing and the number of parcels coming through on a daily basis are higher.
Christine Corbett discusses how the lower amount of letters being sent is affecting the Australia Post and how this decrease of business would affect regional Australia’s Post Offices. She explains that Australia Post are looking for ways to change their business model to bring in more business for the individual Post Office. As part of their Community Service Obligation, Australia Post is required to retain 4,000 Post Offices, with 2,500 of them being located in regional Australia. Deputy CEO of the Regional Australia Institute, Jack Archer, expresses possibilities that he believes will be beneficial to the regional towns. He encourages the consideration of incorporating more government services and transactions into the services that the Post Offices’ already offer. Such services would bring a wider range of people into the towns and so continue to help other businesses. Mr Archer expresses his want of an independent inquiry into alternative possibilities regarding the Australia Post’s future.
