AUSTRALIA POST FAILURES A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME

PERHAPS if Sarah Henderson was to remove her Liberal Party-coloured glasses for a minute, she might be able to see the bigger picture with Australia Post.

It’s great that staff will be retrained to take on other activities, but perhaps if those staff were used to provide the type of service we should be able to expect from our national postal service, the decline in the volume of mail might be halted.

Senator Henderson’s party has stood by and allowed the Australia Post to regard letters and parcel as separate parts of the business.

We are told that parcels are very profitable, but letters are handled at a loss. So up goes the letter postage and down goes the efficiency of the delivery service.

I don’t see too many butchers regarding sausages and steak as being separate parts of their business.

Early this year, way before the coronavirus took hold, Australia Post increased postage rates. A simple 3kg parcel from Geelong to Melbourne used to cost $11.40 — now it is $18.50, and delivery times have gone from two days to up to a week.

Interstate mail can take up to two weeks to arrive. A recent parcel from Geelong to Lithgow was tracked going via Adelaide. Is that the type of service Senator Henderson thinks is acceptable?

Currently, they are still charging extra for a signature on delivery service, a service they say they no longer offer. Instead, parcels so marked are left at the front door, without even the courtesy of ringing the bell.

Senator Henderson’s concern for the welfare of the posties is welcome. Perhaps she has not seen the extra bags of parcels they are required to carry on their bikes for delivery.

But, how long will that last? It is only a matter of time before Australia Post finds a way of contracting out all mail delivery.

Now, due to coronavirus, service times have blown out even more.

Does anyone who uses the postal service on a regular basis seriously believe they will return to full service after June 2021?

Mike Trickett, Herne Hill