Zoe McKenzie (Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Hansard source

On Friday, the Rosebud Plaza Post Office closed its doors for good—another piece of important community infrastructure in Flinders lost under the Albanese Labor government. Despite a petition signed by nearly 2,000 residents and strong local opposition, our community's concerns were ignored. My repeated inquiries of the minister and to Australia Post directly were met with bureaucratic platitudes rather than real answers. Minister Wells acknowledged the closure's impact but brushed it off, advising that there had been a significant drop in foot traffic and that: 'Australia Post has assured me that there is sufficient capacity in the network to absorb the current 263 PO boxes leased and that the area is still well serviced with two alternative outlets within five kilometres.' That simply does not reflect the real-life experience of the Rosebud residents, who have emphasised to me how, especially over the holiday periods, the line will stretch well out the door.

Australia Post's response was no better, hiding behind compliance and accessibility jargon while ignoring the practical reality. Locals will now face longer waits with fewer options. A representative for the CEO of Australia Post told me: 'We recognise that this closure will have an impact on the community. We ensure a thorough assessment takes place to ensure our services remain accessible and available for customers, and, in the case of the Rosebud Plaza post shop, the closest post offices are DDA compliant and accessible…'—blah, blah, blah. Although the government, at the end of the day, did not listen to my community's concerns, I am confident and hopeful this will make the government seriously think twice about closing essential services in my electorate. (Time expired)

See this speech in context