Julian Hill (Bruce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As every Victorian would know after the COVID-19 lockdown, Australia Post delivery services have been a shambles. Why? The posties know why. In October, the Victorian postal union surveyed the Melbourne posties. The results were disturbing. Nine in 10 posties said there had been a degradation of services because of the government's cuts to mail delivery frequency. Due to the workloads, mail and parcels were left behind, meal breaks were skipped by seven in 10 workers and there was speeding on footpaths. Yet, before a Senate committee, the Australia Post acting CEO dismissed the survey and tried to claim that it was unrepresentative and that Melbourne postal workers supported the cuts.

Postal workers across Melbourne were furious, and they signed a petition condemning the cuts and the comments. In my electorate, over 85 per cent of available posties at the Narre Warren delivery centre signed the petition. The acting CEO of Australia Post and the Morrison government should apologise for their arrogant dismissal of the concerns raised by Australia Post workers. Back in April the Morrison government tried to use the COVID-19 crisis as cover to cut one in four postie jobs. This was a disgrace, and the attacks on frontline posties need to stop. The essential workers of Australia Post have performed an invaluable service for their communities and the country through the bushfires and the COVID-19 period, and to them we say thank you. Labor will always stand with the workers of Australia Post, because we understand they are the heart and soul of this great organisation.