Mal Brough (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I take the interjection. What I am saying is that the model is broken. What has worked for 200 years is not going to work for the next 200 years; it is not going to work for the next 20 years. There are 4,000 outlets out there and it behoves us all to work together to come up with solutions. It does not help anyone to come into this place and start throwing bricks at the government and say, 'The Abbott government came to power and they want to get rid of next-day services.' This is just Australia Post having an honest dialogue with people about the challenges of its business model. We all need to be part of that. It is no use just throwing stones. We need to be part of the solution.

If we are part of the solution, then Australia Post has a bright future. It does not have a bright future if we do more of the same. It does not have a bright future if it retains the same model, because the digital divide is going to destroy it. As soon as a business or a government agency can, it will not be delivering mail via your letterbox but doing it digitally because it is cheaper and more efficient. We do not have people walking into Australia Post as they used to and using the same services. We do not have the same letters being delivered.

Instead of moving a motion like this, which passes blame, let us have a motion that asks what we, the government and the opposition, can do together to make sure that Australia Post has a vibrant and viable future. That is what I stand here to be part of. I do not commend the motion to the House.

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