Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The answer to the honourable senator's question is as follows

(1) The Lightning Ridge licensee has not been informed that there will be any changes to their Licensed Post Office (LPO) Agreement. Any changes will occur only on assignment of the licence to a new licensee.

(a) It is intended to conduct a poll of Lightning Ridge town residents this year to determine whether they wish to have a 'to the property' mail delivery. This may have an impact on the number of counter delivery points currently provided from the Lightning Ridge Licensed Post Office.

(b) Based on verified data Australia Post provides an across the counter delivery service to 752 delivery points at Lightning Ridge LPO. Australia Post does not have data on how many people live at these individual delivery points.

(c) Under the LPO Agreement licensees are paid on the number of verified delivery points. The verified figure currently stands at 752.

(d) Please see answer to (c) above.

(e) There is no new counter mail delivery measure being implemented, however as per (a) above residents will shortly be able to choose whether to continue the existing counter delivery service or a 'to the property' delivery by mail contractor.

(f) Australia Post's Post Office Box (POB) service is provided under the LPO Agreement by the licensee. Australia Post is unable to comment on future leasing trends in Lightning Ridge at this stage.

(g) Please see the response to a). Any decision to introduce to the property delivery is based on Australia Post's ability to be able to service these points. In Lightning Ridge's situation this has been determined to be the boundaries of the Lightning Ridge township.

(2) (a) Australia Post is not proposing to alter existing delivery policy other than as described in answer (1) (a). (b) Please see above answer. (c) No, the licensee is being paid as per the LPO Agreement on the basis of verified delivery points.

(d) Please see above response to (c)

(e) Please see above response to (c)

(3) Australia Post's Community Service Obligations are detailed in the Australian Postal Corporation Act, 1989. At present, mail delivery to Lightning Ridge residents is either through counter mail delivery for the opening hours of the post office or the customer may choose to lease a Post Office Box with 24 hours access. Based on customer feedback, Australia Post is now able to conduct a poll of eligible residents in the Lightning Ridge township to determine whether they wish to have a “to the property” delivery. Australia Post is meeting its obligations.

(4) No, all correctly verified addresses are accepted.

(5) All mail received at a Post Office is to be delivered as addressed. The responsibility for ensuring mail is correctly addressed rests with the sender. Should a mail article not be collected or be unable to be delivered, the mail would be returned to sender.

(6) No, mail addressed to a street address that does not receive delivery, assuming no current redirection is in place, would be delivered across the counter or (should street mail delivery be introduced) through the mail contractor.

(a) A mail service payment is paid where Australia Post requires the licensee to undertake mail sorting and acceptance prior to 8am or after 6pm. Or where a critical mail circulation situation applies. It is not paid for mail sorting as other payments such as the mail management fee, Post office box fee and counter mail delivery fee apply to this function. The current mail service payment is not intended to be removed under the existing LPO Agreement.

(b) Please see response to 6 above.

(c) Please see response to 5 above.

(7) (a) There are no changes to existing mail sorting arrangements nor payments at the Lightning Ridge LPO. The payment rate may be varied at the time of assignment.

(b) Please see (a)

(c) Please see (a)

(8) (a) No, where warranted the telephone subsidy to licensees will continue. Over the years however many requirements for a licensee to communicate with Australia Post by telephone have been replaced by a toll free number e.g. EPOS Helpdesk, Stock warehouse, Shared Services Division, Armaguard, IT help Desk.

(b) Where warranted the telephone subsidy will continue to be paid. NB: There is no change to the existing licensee's telephone subsidy.

(c) The subsidy for the existing licensee is not being removed. Upon assignment entitlement to this subsidy is to be reviewed with the new licensee.

(9) As per the LPO Agreement where a counter delivery point listing provided by the licensee can be verified the appropriate payment will be made. Alternatively, under the formula detailed in the LPO Agreement, a mail count to identify the volume of mail would appropriately pay the licensee.