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Australia Post boosts Aussie economy by $6bn amid stream of complaints

Aug 16, 2018

The report was compiled by Deloitte Access Economics.

Whether it’s a disappearing parcel, missed delivery or delayed postage, everyone has had an issue with their mail at some point or other, and Australia Post are often on the receiving end of those complaints, with grievances exceeding one million for the mail provider in the last financial year alone.

However there’s now some good news for Australia Post as a new report by Deloitte Access Economics has revealed that the company boosted the national economy by a huge $6 billion and created tens of thousands of new jobs for Aussies within the last 12 months.

The report, which was released on Thursday, found that for every $1 that Australia Post contributed to the national GDP last year, a further 86 cents in economic activity was generated in other industries. So, with a direct economic contribution of $3.2 billion, this means Australia Post created a further $2.8 billion through flow-on economic activity, generating a total of around $6 billion.

Findings also revealed that Australia Post facilitates 82 per cent of the country’s eCommerce market, with 80 per cent of Aussie customers admitting they aren’t aware of a more convenient alternative for sending or receiving mail.

It also found that for every worker Australia Post employed, another job was secured in the community, meaning that Australia Post’s operations supported more than 51,000 full time employees last year. The employment ratio was even higher in local communities, with every post office job supporting a further two jobs elsewhere through flow-on economic activity, such as motor mechanics, property managers and information technology jobs.

The report found that 92 per cent of Australians visited a post office in the previous six months and highlights the tremendous social value they place on the postal service, with 79 per cent saying Australia Post ensured equity of access to core services for all communities. Seventy-three per cent rated Australia Post a trusted and valued part of the community.

Australia Post was also found to play an important role for the one million households without internet access, as well as for Aussies living in regional and remote areas.

“This report underlines the fundamental role Australia Post plays in communities across Australia. If these communities are to prosper, we need to continue to connect them to the rest of the country and the world, and ensure they have access to essential services that in many cases only Australia Post delivers,” Christine Holgate, CEO and Managing Director of Australia Post Group, said.

Many customers may not be totally convinced however, as Australia Post’s official Facebook page continues to be flooded with complaints about missed deliveries, as well as a number of complaints that have made headlines due to the bizarre route the parcels took in order to reach their final destinations.

One angry customer Pauline Hicks called into 3AW‘s morning show after a parcel, containing toys for her young grandson that she sent from Queensland to Victoria, wound up more than 3,000km away after being shipped to Welshpool, in Western Australia to be sorted.

She told Neil Mitchell: “They left Queensland on Friday the 8th of June and they arrived in Victoria on Sunday the 10th of June. I thought oh well, that’s good they’re in the state.

“How does it happen? Why has it gone to Western Australia, especially seeing as it actually did come to Victoria.”

While another wrote on Facebook: “A company our business has been dealing with arranged for a laptop to be sent to us in Victoria Point Queensland from East Brisbane. It’s literally a 40 minute drive from us. Australia Post has managed to incorrectly sort our parcel and have our laptop sent to VICTORIA.”