Australia Posts’ network is increasingly important to rural Australia
A Deloitte Access Economics report reveals that Australia Post supports 10,800 jobs and a $10.6 billion e-commerce market through its delivery and post office networks and is increasingly important to regional, rural and remote (regional) Australia.
The report, ‘Economic and social value of Australia Post to regional, rural and remote Australia’, measures and quantifies Australia Post’s contribution specifically to non-metropolitan areas for the first time.
Australia Post CEO and Managing Director Christine Holgate, said the report reinforces how critical Australia Post is to areas that other service providers cannot reach.
“The most important aspiration in regional communities is to have access to services, such as education, health and government,” Ms Holgate said. “And regional Australians see Australia Post as the most present service provider in their community, ahead of schools, cafes, pubs and grocery stores. After the local doctor and police, Australia Post is also the most trusted service provider in regional communities.
“We’ve seen this come to life in towns affected by bushfires lately. Post offices have become community hubs for information, shelter and basic services. We even heard of firefighting crews battling hard to save the local post office, because they knew the importance of the post office to the community during and after disaster.”
Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said: “The Deloitte Access Economics report underscores Australia Post’s unique place in this country and reinforces the social and economic benefits post office networks provide.
“While the digital age is advancing at a rapid rate, the postal service continues to have a very important function, including in regional and remote Australia. Our strong postal network contributes to equity of access and a sense of community.
“This report highlights the important role that Australia Post has in our community.”
Support for business and economy
- More than one third of the 2,500 post offices in regional Australia support in-conjuction businesses, such as newsagencies and general stores.
- Regional business owners visit their post office 66 % more often than other residents do.
- Last financial year, $26.8 million in banking and bill pay transactions (representing one third of Australia Post’s total transactions) and 1.6 million identity verifications were conducted in regional post offices.
- Australia Post employs 4,800 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs in regional Australia, with every four of those jobs indirectly supporting another five full-time equivalent jobs in those local communities.
- Regional residents see Australia Post as their ‘most present’ service provider and among the most trusted in their communities.
Contribution to social wellbeing
- 92 % of residents say Australia Post is important for ‘equity of access to services’.
- People with disabilities are more likely than average to use postal services.
- Socially isolated people visit the post office more frequently than others.
- 74 % of regional residents say local post offices make a ‘broader social contribution beyond selling products and services’.
