The Commonwealth and Postal Industry Ombudsman, Prof. John McMillan, today released a report on the way Australia Post assesses the level of community support for possible changes to mail delivery.

Australia Post often conducts community polls when people ask for a new mail delivery service or an increase in the frequency of mail delivery. Households affected by the proposed change will be contacted, to gauge the level of community support for the possible change. More than 70 communities across Australia have been polled in the last five years.

‘Each year my office receives complaints about Australia Post’s community polling,’ said Prof. McMillan. ‘I decided this area warranted further investigation. Many communities, particularly in rural and regional areas, rely heavily on regular postal delivery services for maintaining business and family contacts.’

‘Changes to mail delivery services affect communities across Australia. There can be an impact on local businesses, including general stores and local post offices and agents, where people collect mail. It is important that Australia Post takes community views into account.’

‘This investigation was prompted by concern at the polling method used by Australia Post, and whether it accurately captures community views about proposals for changing postal delivery services. Specifically, Australia Post considers that the non-return of a polling form indicates lack of support for the proposed change.’

‘There may in fact be a different explanation. For example, a person may be ill or away, may not receive the polling form, or may not realise the importance of the form. Treating a non-response as a lack of support for change has the potential to misrepresent community views.’

The Ombudsman recommended that Australia Post review the way it carries out community polls to gauge support for changes to mail delivery services. Other recommendations in the report were aimed at giving more confidence in the community polling process.

Australia Post has responded positively to the report. It advised that it would review the way in which it gauges community support for changes to local mail delivery arrangements, and advise the Ombudsman of the outcome of the review.

Download the report: Community polling practices: gauging community support for changes to postal delivery services.

Date of release: 5 March 2009