Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to raise the issue of the need for a post office at the Jewellstown Plaza. Jewellstown Plaza is one of the main shopping centres within the electorate of Shortland and it does not have a post office. I have tried previously to have a post office installed there—and there was one but there were some unfortunate incidents around that. After that post office left the shopping centre, and after representations from me, a post point was established at the newsagent’s. That served the people for some period of time, but unfortunately it is now inadequate and does not meet the needs of the area. This issue was raised with me by a constituent, Mr Jim Bridge, of the suburb of Jewells. I have here some of the many petitions that I have collected on this issue. I identify Mr Jim Bridge as the person who is the lead petitioner. I seek to table the petition I have with me now and ask for Mr Jim Bridge to be contacted in relation to that.

Leave granted.

The document read as follows—

It is of my concern, that the residence in the area of Jewells are in need of a Post Office.

I am aware of people in surrounding suburbs, also making use of our shopping centre, together with our expanding Greenleaf Retirement Village.

If I may make a request to you to endorse a petition on the above matter so as it may be put to the Members of the House of Representatives for their consideration I also understand, two inspections were undertaken in 2007 maybe those outcomes are available.

Thanking you for your consideration.

from 1 citizen.

Gregmal Jewellstown Pty Ltd is run by Colliers International, and they are prepared to work with Australia Post to ensure that the local community gets the facility. They would negotiate a greatly reduced retail rent, organise a suitable location and assess the fit-out and all the other things that are needed to have a post office set up in the centre. Jewellstown Plaza Shopping Centre has shown enormous growth in the last few years. 2008 has already shown an increase of 7.46 per cent in customer numbers over 2007. The pedestrian flow through the centre in January this year was 78,143 and in February it was 76,634. This is an increase on the months that are not traditionally the high turnover months. In December 2007, 85,000 people went through the centre, so there are significant numbers of people who use it.

There is no post office in the area that people can get to quickly. Jewells is serviced by a bus service from all the surrounding area. The population of Jewells is around 3,500, Belmont North is around 5,000 and the centre would also look at providing a service for people from Floraville, Tingira Heights, parts of Belmont and parts of Redhead. That would mean the centre would be looking after a population, on a regular day-to-day basis, of about 18,000. There are doctors’ surgeries and two medical centres out there and they have expressed a desire to me to have a post office at the centre. So you have a unique situation whereby the post office has the support of the community and the support of the shopping centre itself. In addition, the Jewellstown newsagency, which has the post point, has indicated their willingness to extend the service and to be involved in setting up a post office. They and their customers are frustrated by the lack of services that they are able to offer. They would like to be able to offer parcel post, express post, registered post and money orders, and for people to be able to pick their mail up from post boxes. In addition, there are a number of other services that a post office provides which the people of Jewells would like to see in Jewellstown Plaza Shopping Centre. I urge the House to consider this petition favourably. (Time expired)

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In respect of the petition, the document will be forwarded to the Standing Committee on Petitions for its consideration and will be accepted subject to confirmation by the committee that it conforms to standing orders.