NZ Post’s cuts hit the elderly
Ben Tredrea is one of the big losers as New Zealand Post cut more services.
The Titahi Bay resident, like many others in the suburb, pays his bills at the Four Square in Whitehouse Rd.
Nine years ago, Tredrea, 72, helped petition New Zealand Post to have the ability to pay phone and electricity bills at the Four Square.
It came as a shock when he found out last week that the service would be discontinued.
‘‘That will likely stuff up a lot of people,’’ he said.
‘‘ There’s a swag of elderly people, like me, who don’t like the internet and don’t have a PC or anything, so how are they going to pay their bills? They will have to go to Porirua.
‘‘It will just be bloody annoying and when I get a bill I will have to wait until I do my shopping.’’
The Titahi Bay bill payment service was scrapped after New Zealand Post said it would levy the shopkeepers $1.50 per transaction.
Four Square owner Gaiatri Kansara said even though the store had been given two months to stop the service, they stopped it last week because people were not willing to pay the new levy.
She said about 50 people a week paid their bills at her shop and she had received many complaints that it was no longer available.
Other services would still be offered at the store, including stamps and courier mail.
New Zealand Post national store network development manager Neil Smith-Pilling said the number of people using the bill pay service at the store was declining and the process was time-consuming for staff.
‘‘Local people are increasingly opting to pay bills online or at our PostShop Kiwibank outlet in the Porirua MegaCentre. We’ve been working with the [Four Square] owner on this decision.’’
Tredrea said he would do what he could to oppose the decision.
‘‘I thought there must be something we can do. At least we can try.’’
Mana MP Kris Faafoi said the changes were disappointing, and raised further questions as to the future of Mana PostShop, which will be merging with another store later this year.
‘‘This is another kick in the guts for Porirua as more services bite the dust in suburban areas,’’ he said.
‘‘I realise times are changing but if this is happening at Titahi Bay, is this what is eventually planned for New Zealand Post in Mana?
‘‘Now the only place to pay bills is the Porirua PostShop, which New Zealand Post moved with no consultation, or the Mana PostShop, which will close and relocate to another Mana-based business.’’
Faafoi said he would be meeting with New Zealand Post officials in the next fortnight to discuss the Titahi Bay situation and the
future of the Mana PostShop.