Tag: Australia Post

Letter volumes fell slightly last year – the result of cost-focused businesses amalgamating their bills into one statement, less junk mail with the slowdown in advertising and increased internet transactions – but Australia Post still lifted its net profit 11.4% to $330.8 million.

The profit increase was driven in part by Australia Post lifting the price of a basic postage stamp in January from 45¢ to 50¢.

The nation’s postal service is the most reliable and one of the cheapest in the world, according to Australia Post’s annual report.

The report, tabled in federal parliament today, showed Australia Post’s on-time letter delivery reached an all time high of 96.5% in the 2002/2003 financial year.

The Australian Federal Government is to establish a postal industry ombudsman to handle complaints from people dissatisfied with postal services.

Communications Minister Richard Alston says the ombudsman will be a high-profile office to investigate complaints about Australia Post and others in the industry that join the scheme.

More than 32,000 Australia Post employees have received a $300 bonus for delivering the mail on time.

An audit by accounting firm KPMG found Australia Post set a performance record last financial year with 96.5% of standard mail reaching its destination on time or early.

Small businesses can send their mail in bulk and receive legitimate discounts from Australia Post under proposed laws introduced into parliament.

The practice of giving bulk discounts to small business already exists but is not written into legislation.

The new laws also allow document exchanges to carry letters between their members’ premises and the exchange, again legitimising an existing practice many small businesses use as a complementary service to Australia Post.