Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 30 March this year I raised in this House the issue of a post office for the Jewellstown Plaza. This has involved a long campaign, one that has gone on over a number of years. It has had enormous support from the community. The shopping plaza has a very big feeding area. A lot of people throughout the electorate of Shortland in the near vicinity of that shopping centre use it. But I report to the House with great sadness that Australia Post have recently advised me that they will not support a post office at Jewellstown Plaza. This is despite enormous support within the community.

I learnt of the fact that they were not going to support the post office not from Australia Post but, rather, second hand from Colliers International, who own the shopping plaza. They advised me that they had been informed by Australia Post that this was the case. I contacted Australia Post immediately I heard that on 31 July. They responded to my letter, saying that they were sorry that I had found out about it that way and, basically, that they had been going to get around to telling me one day. They said a number of factors had been involved—things like closeness to other outlets. I might point out that Jewellstown Plaza is further from other postal outlets than other centres within the electorate. On 6 August I wrote back to Australia Post and informed them that I would like to bring all parties together to talk. I might add that we had had numerous discussions prior to this. Today is 4 September and they have not responded as yet. They can be selective about when they respond quickly and when they do not respond quickly.

A matter of further concern is that it is reported in the Hansard of 1 September that the member for Fowler tabled a response in relation to petitions that had been submitted. In that was a response from the minister, who said Australia Post had advised that senior management from its New South Wales administration met with the petition sponsor—me—late in March to discuss my interest in the establishment of a postal outlet. It goes on to say:

Australia Post has also advised that it has received few direct approaches, including from the local business community, requesting a postal outlet at Jewellstown.

The one thing I can guarantee Australia Post here in the parliament today is that they are going to receive so many direct responses that they will wish they had never said that to the minister. They have received numerous petitions—but we will change our tack on this one. Further, they said:

Australia Post has also informed me that, at this stage, no decision has been reached.

So on 1 September the minister had not been informed that Australia Post had told me that they would not support a post office at Jewellstown Plaza.

I have written to the minister about this issue. I have told him how dissatisfied I am with the response from Australia Post. I have told him that I am not prepared to sit back and just leave this. I would like to put very strongly on the record that Australia Post needs to listen to the local community. They need to make sure that they do not give one message to the local member and a different message to the minister. I will be taking this matter further. (Time expired)