Attached to the Order Form listing a range of products available exclusively through the Government owned Australia Post retail outlet is a flyer promoting a one day stationery sale – 10% off all stationery.
This is the Howard Government’s small business policy at work. While in office they have facilitated Australia Post fending off competitors and maintained it as a protected monopoly in traffic generating areas such as postal products and services. They have actively encouraged Australia Post to use its protected brand to go after family run newsagencies in the stationery category.
Now, the government allows its wholly owned business to offer a 10% stationery discount tied to its monopoly products.
Yep, small business policy in action.
In 2004 I discussed this with Senator Coonan, the Minister responsible for Australia Post, and she pointed to the legislation – hid behind it might be a more appropriate way of putting it. The Howard Government has been in control of this legislation for over eleven years. They have done nothing. Indeed, they have encouraged the growth of Australia Post and its strategy of taking revenue from family run newsagencies for the benefit of Government coffers.
This Australia Post 10% off stationery flyer is proof that the Howard Government has no interest in small business. They know the financial and emotional hardship their wholly owned business is causing newsagents yet they sit back and watch.
Mark, worse than that, I saw a Postal Contractor yesterday driving around in a beaten up 15 year old van. He said with the contract he has, he can’t afford to update.
Howard and Coonan can keep their respective heads in whatever they are in whilst their opposition is Rudderless on Small Business.