Australia Post looks into mail ‘dumping’

AUSTRALIA Post has launched an investigation after a man believed to be a postman was spotted allegedly dumping a bag of mail in a Gold Coast park, a majority of it election material.

A LNP volunteer spotted the man leaving the mail in a pile near a wheelie bin in Flooded Gum Park, Pacific Pines about 4pm on Wednesday.

The volunteer recovered the mail and returned it to Australia Post to be redistributed.

Albert MP Mark Boothman, who is running for the seat which has been renamed Theodore, said the mail mostly consisted of election material but also contained personal correspondence such as letters from banks.

“He dumped it in the park but somebody was watching him do it,” Mr Boothman said.

Mr Boothman said it was in total about 300 letters which were left spread on the ground.

It is impossible to tell if the letters had been sent by Mr Boothman’s office as they were in plain, white envelopes with just a return PO Box in the left hand corner.

“I’m flabbergasted someone would do that,” Mr Boothman said. He said the envelopes contained information relating to postal voting.

Mr Boothman said if the letters were delivered today they should not have an impact on the election.

Interfering or tampering with mail is a criminal offence in Australia and can lead to imprisonment for up to five years.