Peter Khalil (Wills, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I put on the record here my disappointment and shock at the decision to close the Glenroy post office in my electorate of Wills in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. It came as a shock to me as well as to the local Glenroy community. The decision was made by Australia Post with no communication, a lack of transparency and no consultation. I've received hundreds of calls and emails from distressed local community members who oppose this decision. This decision will have detrimental consequences for the local community in Glenroy.

The post office in Glenroy provides essential services in my electorate. It's a busy post office and a hub for community activity. It's the only location in the area that is easily accessible via public transport, so it's an important feature for many of my constituents that allows them to complete their day-to-day business. A local post office means locals can continue to independently carry out banking, bill paying, postage, parcel pick up and passport services.

The importance of the current location within a major activity centre cannot be overstated. Many Glenroy locals do not drive or own a car and rely on walkable local access to essential services, such as this, to pay their bills. Many locals face significant barriers related to age, disability, language, income and a lack of internet access. Surrounding post offices will be difficult for people to access, given mobility barriers and a lack of access via public transport.

The decision by Australia Post to close the Glenroy post office, disappointingly, has not taken into consideration the diverse demographics of the suburb of Glenroy. It's home not only to a culturally and linguistically diverse population but also to many people in an ageing demographic with disabilities and households with lower incomes on average. The decision to close the Glenroy community's post office will take away many people's autonomy as a result.

In June I wrote to the CEO, Paul Graham, and the board of directors of Australia Post to express my opposition to their decision to close the Glenroy post office and make an argument for them to reconsider or reverse that decision. My state colleague the state member for Broadmeadows, Kathleen Matthews-Ward, has also been working hard to advocate on this issue. She's collated a petition with over 2,000 signatures, and that shows huge community support for Glenroy post office staying open. Kathleen and I will be at a community rally out the front of the post office tomorrow morning, Friday morning, and I expect a lot of locals to be there as well.

My team members and the state member also met with officials from Australia Post to make some really clear arguments about their decision, and Australia Post advised that the decision to close the office was made solely on the basis of foot traffic, even though the Glenroy level crossing removal would, of course, have had a significant impact on patronage during the last couple of years, when it was taking place. National figures were also used, and these showed a general decline in national Australia Post services. But I'm perplexed because no local modelling was done. There was no specific look at what was actually happening on the streets of Glenroy and at the impact of that closure. I'm also perplexed because Australia Post has not fully explored alternative options, including the use of other vendors to take over the operations of that particular post office.

The decision has significant implications for the community, and they deserve to have more time and resources put into the consideration of this decision. The community is aware that there are other local LPOs around, but there is no guarantee that they will remain open. Remaining LPOs are also not accessible to those who cannot drive, as they are not near public transport. Australia Post has not explored whether that—

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 11:16 to 11:28

As I was saying, Australia Post has not explored whether other LPOs could relocate to a more accessible location in Glenroy. The lack of communication and consultation is a disgrace and really unacceptable. Many in the community face real barriers relating to age, disability, language, income and a lack of internet access. Everyone should have access to essential services, such as a post office, no matter where they live. The closure of Glenroy Post Office has severe consequences for all of the people in my community. There will be the loss of local jobs, financial exclusion for vulnerable individuals, a decline in the availability of local services and trade, a decrease in that sense of local pride of having a community hub where people can gather, the general inconvenience and the potential security implications as well.

On behalf of the Glenroy community, along with my colleague the state Labor MP for Broadmeadows, Kathleen Matthews-Ward, and many petitioners—over 2,000 petitioners—I urge the Australia Post CEO and the board of directors to reconsider this decision, reverse this decision and keep the Glenroy Post Office open.