Ensuring a World Class Postal Service

30 September 2004

The Coalition will continue to ensure all Australians, regardless of where they live, enjoy a world-class post service with a wide range of services that deliver value for money, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, said today following the release of the Government's policy.

"Our policy of ensuring record on-time delivery, expanded business banking services for rural and regional Australia and a guaranteed minimum of 4000 Australia Post outlets across Australia will help us continue to deliver effective and efficient postal services," Senator Coonan said.

"A re-elected Coalition Government will keep Australia Post in public ownership and freeze the 50 cent postage rate for three years, keeping Australia's postage rates at world record lows.

"Australians living in rural, regional and remote areas will also now have improved access to banking services with a $9.7 million commitment to Bank@Post.

"This will expand the giroPost network and banking services to 266 Australia Post outlets which handle more than 2500 transactions annually.

"A re-elected Coalition Government will also maintain the requirement on Australia Post to have at least 4000 outlets, 2500 of which must be in rural and regional areas.

"Despite the vastness of Australia, people should not be disadvantaged because they live in geographically isolated areas. In 2002-03 there were 4493 Australia Post outlets in Australia of which 2588 were located in regional Australia.

"A Latham Labor Government would be indifferent to the needs of rural and regional Australia. Labor is devoid of ideas to improve Australia Post's regional service delivery and has failed to guarantee that the minimum requirement of 2500 Australia Post outlets in regional areas will be maintained.

"The Coalition Government has guaranteed to keep Australia Post in public hands and has delivered improved and expanded services to the Australian people through a series of carefully designed and implemented consumer-focused policies.

"Labor's postal policy demonstrates they are a party without a plan for postal services, promising things the Government has already guaranteed and struggling to find ways to improve an industry that, under the Howard Government, has produced effective and world class postal services to all Australians."

The Coalition's postal policy is available at www.liberal.org.au.

Media Contact: Jane McMillan 0438 690 305
www.minister.dcita.gov.au