Who cares about the Postal Act?

Not Australia Post that’s for sure!

Visit one of the 800+ Government owned Post Shops and pick up a one of their BAG the Bargains catalogues. When you flick through the 12 pages, ask yourself whether Sections 14, 15 and 16 of the Australian Postal Corporation Act 1989 permit Australia Post to be in the business of selling items such as: Computer printers; Printer ink; Melway street directory; Shredder; Copy paper; Laminator; Label maker; Computer mouse; Suspension files; Manilla folders; Notebooks; Level arch files.

Each page of the BAG the Bargains catalogue is full of items which are not incidental to the stated core business of Australia Post. A visit to any of the Government owned Post Shops will further prove that pursuing stationery sales is a key growth strategy for the Corporation. Up to 80% of the floor space in each retail outlet is non postal product. These stores are given special treatment by landlords. Newsagents cannot carry postal products on an equitable basis.

Australia Post is leveraging its respected Government created postal service brand in pursuit of home and office stationery sales in areas which have nothing to do with postal services and which compete directly with independently owned small business newsagencies like mine. Australia Post is taking stationery sales from my business and many other newsagencies on an unfair basis by operating outside the provisions of the Act.

I’ve written to the Senator Coonan, the Minister responsible for Australia Post and Senator Bailey, the Minister for Small Business and provided copies of the catalogue for their comment. I’ve also take the matter up with the Leader of the Opposition, Senator Andrew Murray and Senator Bob Brown. Hopefully, someone will have enough concern for small business to research the impact of the Australia Post non postal retail activity on independent small retailers.