Peter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The petition has been checked by the committee and is in order. It is received pursuant to standing order 207B(2).

The petition read as follows—

To the Honourable The Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives

This petition of certain citizens of Australia draws to the attention of the House that Australia Post have sold the Warrnambool Post Office Timor Street building to the Warrnambool City Council and whist an agreement is in place to retain Private Mail Boxes, the business centre will be closed and the smaller 169 Koroit Street premises will become the city’s main Australia Post business centre. This already small site will not be able to provide an adequate counter service for a city with a rapidly growing population presently exceeding 33,000. At Timor Street, as a considerable convenience to business people, general customers and senior citizens, adjoining streets provide 26 designated free 15 minute car spaces (including 2 disabled)—something that seems impossible in relation to the Koroit street location. The present size of the Koroit Street business centre will surely not enable remodelling to allow transfer of similar counter space to that used at Timor Street. Both premises are already barely adequate at many times of the day and there are frequent lengthy queues.

We therefore ask the House to ensure Australia Post negotiates to retain a satisfactory business centre in Timor Street where it has been most satisfactorily located since 1857 or else provide an additional adequate alternative.

From 3,331 citizens.

Petition received.

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