Don Randall (Canning, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to present this petition for an Australia Post street posting box at the Miami Village Shopping Centre in Falcon in my electorate of Canning. An Australia Post retail outlet was relocated from the Miami Village Shopping Centre to the newer Miami Plaza Shopping Centre located nearby. When this relocation occurred, the street posting box was also relocated with the retail outlet. This has left the Miami Village Shopping Centre without a street postbox. This is concerning, as the Miami Village Shopping Centre has more than 20 businesses, which include a supermarket, two medical centres, two real estate agents, a veterinary surgeon, a chiropractor and other businesses. The Miami Village Shopping Centre also facilitates the Miami Holiday Park.

Signatures for this petition were collected during January and February this year. The signatures collected are from local residents and employees of local businesses who want a street posting box at the Miami Village Shopping Centre. There are 476 signatures on this petition. Although there is a street posting box at the nearby Miami Plaza, for various reasons village customers and businesses believe it will be more convenient to have a street posting box at the Miami Village Shopping Centre also.

I understand the current Australia Post policy states that there be a minimum two-kilometre distance between posting boxes. However, Australia Post does acknowledge that, in certain circumstances, street posting box locations are well under the two-kilometre guideline. Of course, due to new technologies such as email, falling numbers of post items can indicate that a street posting box is not viable. However, many village customers are seniors who still choose to send mail rather than using digital technologies or other sorts of communication. In addition to this, local village businesses do have bulk items for posting and a street posting box at Miami Village shopping centre would certainly provide a much greater convenience for these business people. I wish to table this document and I request that it receive a response from the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, the Hon. Steven Conroy. I now present it.

The petition read as follows—

To t he Honourable t he Speaker a nd Members of t he House o f Representatives

This petition of residents from the Peel Region draws to the attention of the House the need for a street-posting box at Miami Village Shopping Centre In Falcon to service the local community.

In the interests of safety, the efficient operation of local businesses and an important community amenity we, the undersigned, request Australia Post install a street-posting box, even if only on a trial basis, at Miami Village Shopping Centre, Old Coast Road, Falcon, Western Australia 6210.

We ask the House to note that when the Australia Post retail outlet relocated from Miami Village to the newer Miami Plaza the street-posting box was also relocated. This has left Miami Village without any Australia Post services. As Miami Village is a hub of approximately twenty four commercial outlets that include a supermarket, two medical centres*, tavern*, two estate agents*, two pathology clinics*, veterinary surgeon, * chiropractor* and Miami Holiday Park* the latter accommodating, during peak summer periods, an average of 300 people per week. (* denotes Miami P l aza has none of these facilities).

We also respectfully advise the House that a number of local residents, many of them elderly, elect to use the Village as their primary shopping and service base. We further ask the House to note that the ongoing growth of Mandurah's southern suburbs, including Falcon, warrants the addition of a street-posting box at Miami Village. We request Australia Post note the demographic demand for the street-posting box and arrange for installation as a priority

from 476 citizens

Petition received.

Dick Adams (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The document will be forwarded to the Petitions Committee for its consideration.

Don Randall (Canning, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It has already been sent.

Dick Adams (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It will, of course, be accepted subject to confirmation by the committee that it conforms with standing orders. If it has been and if it does, then, of course, that will occur.

Don Randall (Canning, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. It has been sent with, as you can see, a pretty ribbon on it and it has been sent back to me to table today, so I have done so. I would ask the minister to intervene here because Australia Post is sticking to its policy of a two-kilometre regulation. As I said, there are many seniors there as there is a caravan park nearby. I would ask that the minister intervene so that the people in this locality can have the convenience of being able to post their mail and bulk items near where they live. Many of them are frail aged. I seek the minister's support in being able to deliver this.