Australian Newsagency Blog

Senator Helen Coonan speaking on the 7.30 Report on ABC TV last night:

…we clearly couldn’t have the conflict of being both the owner and the regulator.

This from the same Communications Minister happy to be responsible for regulating the government owned Australia Post.

Australia Post, holder of a postal monopoly in this country, also owns 865 corporate stores which compete with small business newsagents in the stationery category.

This same government deregulated the distribution of newspapers and magazines in 1999, stripping newsagents of their monopoly without compensation.

Australia Post has unleashed considerable corporate muscle against newsagents in the years since 1999. Much of that corporate muscle has come as a result of its Government protected monopoly.

For some background on the Government facilitated Australia Post assault on small business newsagents through its corporate stores click here.