Dear Mr Murphy

Petition—Australia Post Licensed Post Office for Dardanup, Western Australia

Thank you for your letter dated 27 May 2011 concerning a petition submitted for the Committee's consideration regarding the establishment of a Licensed Post Office (LPO) in Eaton Fair Shopping Centre in Dardanup, Western Australia. Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding.

Under the Australian Postal Corporation Act 1989 Australia Post is responsible for the day-to-day running of the organisation, including all decisions relating to its operational network. As a Government Business Enterprise, Australia Post does not receive any funding from taxpayers and, as far as practicable, it is required to perform its functions in a manner consistent with sound commercial practice.

Australia Post has advised that its policy in determining whether additional postal outlets are required takes a number of factors into account, including the location and viability of existing outlets and the volume of business likely to be transacted.

In April 2011, in response to representations for an LPO in Eaton Fair Shopping Centre, Australia Post reviewed the postal needs of the local residents. Australia Post concluded that with the Eaton LPO located 1.5 kilometres from the suggested site and six other postal outlets within a 7.5 kilometres radius, the provision of an additional LPO could not be justified.

However, in response to the stated growth expectations for the area, Australia Post has advised that it decided to upgrade the Eaton Fair Newsagency from a Postpoint facility to a Community Mail Agency (CMA) with effect from 1 June 2011. This offers customers an increased range of postal products and services and enables Australia Post to monitor closely the current and future postal usage in the area.

I trust this information will be of assistance.

from the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy