So, the Japanese parliament has decided to sell off the country’s post offices and postal service. For the Australian perspective there’s a report in the Sydney Morning Herald. Alternatively there is this report from the Japan Times.
While the situations between Australia and Japan are dramatically different, I hope that this decision might at least put the Australia Post retail network on the radar as a business to be privatised – but only by selling government owned Post Offices to small businesses or individuals.
I’ve made no secret of my view that the Federal Government has no role in owning retail businesses which compete with independently owned small businesses like my newsXpress store at Forest Hill in Victoria. Having them competing day in day out on stationery, greeting cards and some services when newsagencies were in those spaces first is offensive. I cannot match the mgiht of Australia Post as I don’t have a posdtal service monopoly to force people into my shop.
This is why the Government needs to get out of Australia Post retail. They enjoy a foot traffic guarantee and leveage that into other lucrative business.
So Senator Coonan, look at the Japanese story as it unfolds, count the dollars it unlocks and consider privatising the Australia Post retail network as an ideal way of demonstrating your government’s support for small business.