I have heard from a couple of people that government owned Australia Post outlets, as opposed to privately owned Licenced Post Offices, are introducing selected confectionery and convenience lines to their business.  If these reports are true, I would ask on what basis can Australia Post further move into areaswell served by private enterprise, newsagents especailly.

Paragraphs 14 through 16 of Division 1 or Part 2 of the Australian Postal Corporation Act 1989 document the functions of The Australian Postal Corporation, better known as Australia Post:

14 Functions – the principal function
The principal function of Australia Post is to supply postal services
within Australia and between Australia and places outside Australia.

15 Functions – subsidiary function
A subsidiary function of Australia Post is to carry on, outside Australia, any business or activity relating to postal services.

16 Functions – incidental businesses and activities
(1) The functions of Australia Post include the carrying on, within or
outside Australia, of any business or activity that is incidental to:
(a) the supplying of postal services under section 14; or
(b) the carrying on of any business or activity under section 15.
(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the functions of Australia Post
include the carrying on, within or outside Australia, of any
business or activity that is capable of being conveniently carried
on:
(a) by the use of resources that are not immediately required in
carrying out Australia Post’s principal or subsidiary function;
or
(b) in the course of:
(i) supplying postal services under section 14; or
(ii) carrying on any business or activity under section 15.

I am curious how the possible move into confectionery and Australia Post’s aggressive move into the retailing of office products, greeting cards, telco recharge, Western Union money transfer and bill payment fits into the functions provided for under the Act. The only means I can see is if they are using resources “not immediately required in carrying out Australia Post’s principal or subsidiary function”.

This is a Corporation created by the Government to regulate the manufacture, distribution and retail of postal services. Around 80% of what is on the shop fllor of a government owned Australia Post soft is not incidental to the provision of postal services.

I would like to see politicians look at the revenue Australia Post is taking from family run businesses like newsagencies as a policy issue.

In writing about Australia Post I run the risk of alienating the many newsagents who operate Licenced Post Offices. I have no quarrel with them since they run broader businesses of which their Post Office counter is part. No, my quarrel is with the politicians who have turned a blind eye to the expansion of products and services offered through the Australia Post corporate stores.