Peter Khalil (Wills, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

Last week my office hosted my neighbour, the member for Maribyrnong, Joe Briskey; the local state MP for Broadmeadows, Kathleen Matthews-Ward; and the Glenroy Post Office working group, a local working group led by John and Sonja Rutherford. We've had many meetings with that working group over the last two years since the closure of Glenroy Post Office in 2023. I wanted, once again, to commend the work of the entire working group—all those locals who care, as we continue to advocate together for Australia Post to reopen an LPO in Glenroy.

The effects of this closure, which occurred two years ago, cannot be underestimated for the community: the elderly, people with disability, local shopkeepers, people that don't have cars, and many others who have felt the negative effects of the post office closing. However, our pleas to reopen a Glenroy site have fallen on deaf ears. Despite improper metrics being used—they measured the foot traffic while the Glenroy train station was being rebuilt, so that didn't give an accurate reflection—and a lack of community consultation, there's still resistance to reopening this vital community service.

The Glenroy Post Office closure is not unique to my electorate. I know this is occurring in many electorates around Australia. Many constituents have contacted my office—and I'm sure those of other MPs here—in distress about the inability to access local postal services. My hope for the Glenroy community, and for those affected across the country, is that Australia Post continues to come to the table with realistic solutions toward the viability of postal services. It is a community service; it is not just for profit. This is a service that's been provided by government for hundreds of years—like the military, the police and other frontline services. It is important that the community are consulted when changes are happening locally, and we will keep fighting for them.

It was also disappointing to learn through the media just last month that the local community health service, cohealth, planned to cease operations at three of their clinics in Melbourne's inner north. This will impact thousands in my community, many of whom I've spoken to directly in the past month.

The announcement by cohealth's board was not done in consultation with our government. We actually found out as the public did—through the media. But, once we found out, the Albanese Labor government jumped into action, repeatedly urging cohealth's board to pause their decision. The department of health and the Primary Health Network have been trying to work with cohealth to help them utilise the record investments that Labor have made into Medicare, without compromising the high-quality, complex care that they provide. In fact, just last week Minister Mark Butler announced $1.5 million in additional federal funding to assist cohealth in keeping these clinics open at least until 31 July next year. But this issue isn't over. I want them, this board, to understand that they provide an essential community health service. We want to work with them together to make sure that these clinics stay open.

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