Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Hansard source

I take this opportunity to note in the Senate the extraordinary work of the Milson's Point community which was able to band together and save its post office. There was an amazing campaign led by Venietta Slama-Powell, a local small-businessperson, bringing together a petition of locals. This remaining post office has tremendous benefit to people in public housing and retirement estates in the Milson's Point area. Many of these people, including Bryce Gunn who I met from the Greenway Tenants Group, are not in a position to walk a long way to access a different post office, and many of these residents have physical constraints which would have prevented them from travelling any distance at all. The maintenance of this particular Australia Post facility is a great thing for the residents of Milson's Point.

I understand there are commercial pressures on these government business enterprises, and everyone's got a good case for a branch or a particular outlet to remain open. But this was, I think, a remarkable case given the topography and the demography of the residents of that area. CEO of Australia Post Paul Graham, who we were able to engage with, made the right judgement call for these residents. It is more than just a post office for the locals, who of course are able to post their letters, get their stamps and also have an outing for the day in what otherwise might be a day when they don't do a whole lot. I want to acknowledge the work of Venietta; also the local state member, Felicity Wilson; and also the member for Warringah, Zali Steggall.