Perin Davey (NSW, National Party, Shadow Minister for Water) Share this | Hansard source

I will just point out to Senator Hanson-Young—through you, Chair—that very similar questions were raised directly with Australia Post during the Senate estimates process, which is the correct process for asking those sorts of questions.

This bill was presented as a non-controversial bill, and the fact that, at the very last minute, we've had an amendment thrown before us, with no time for consideration of the amendment and no approach or conversation from the drafter of the amendment, just shows that this is not a genuine attempt to amend this bill. This is actually a stunt.

We have actually followed process. We participated extensively in the regional banking inquiry that made some significant recommendations about Australia Post services, Bank@Post services and the like. We take very seriously the operation of Australia Post services in rural and regional Australia, in the more than 2,000 sites where Australia Post services are offered and the more than 350 regional locations where Australia Post is the only financial institution in the town.