The federal government is reportedly considering expanding the services of Australia Post outlets to include some customer-fcing Centrelink service. I’d be happy if this happened as it would extend the services focus of Australia Post retail outlets and extend the people waiting in what some call the waiting room – the lines can be so long.
Focussing Australia Post owned outlets as government service delivery centres would help newsagents as we have been the target of unfair competition from Australia Post’s corporate stores in recent years as they have pushed harder into areas we used to dominate. The more Australia Post employees are tied up delivering government services the less time they have for selling cards, stationery and ink.
While I can see the benefits from a business POV I can’t support a less efficient or less effective delivery of government services. Incorporating Centerlink functions into an already bloated Auspost portfolio of services would be unlikely to result in good outcomes for those who need to access them.
Its an interesting proposal. It clearly needs to be highly targeted and staff training must come with it but I see say an application for your FTB A could be submitted without a problem. The lines at the existing Centrelinks could be managed better by making the offer available at more Govt owned outlets.
If this means one or two more customers in the Post Office queue then that’s hardly an issue and as Mark said, better for us as well.
Splintering the services offered will only create a patchwork.
Transferring people from one government service to another does not make it more efficient and could actually decrease the efficiency of the system if a) people have to shuffle between AusPost and Centrelink because the former could not provide anything but the most basic of functions and b) more staff, or working hours, are needed to deal with a less centralised demand.
Putting a centrelink in a post office, Im all for it could say the stock took off with the change.
Queensland Country Life November 14 issue has a story on page 15 about Australia Post bullying the LPO’s
One morning last week I heard Fran Kelly on Radio National I think interviewing a lady from Lightening Ridge representing LPO’s about the renumeration they get for parcel handling. As letters have fallen and parcels risen in quantity, she felt LPO’s were hard done by. I’m all for making Aust Post do as much voluntary Centrelink service as possible.
There’s alot more to it Max and h !
The long and the short of it is that it appears that Aus Post has made record profits in part by short paying LPOs what was previously agreed upon and underpaying them for what current transactions are worth. A group of currently over 500 LPOs have banded together to form a new association or representative group as it was felt the existing one POAAL was in bed with AusPost and doing little to represent most LPOs proactively.
After a short campaign the new LPO Group has managed to get several Senators on board with a Senate enquiry being held in early December. Depending upon the outcome there the LPOG is prepared to take legal action against AusPost to claim short paid monies.
If it all comes off should return LPOS to good profitability and make them more valuable once again.
Just goes to show what a motivated group can do and achieve in a very short space of time. Pity nothing like this will happen within the newsagency sphere.
Thanks for the info Paul, I must chat to my subby who is an LPO.
Interesting story in the AFR today about the Post Office move on govt services.