AUSPOST STOPS PRE-XMAS UNADDRESSED MAIL

In its latest blow to print and mail, Australia Post will not deliver any unaddressed mail in December, and has placed restrictions on deliveries in November.

The nation’s mail monopoly has enraged print and mailing houses with the move, which it says is to free up resources for its parcel delivery business.

There will be no unaddressed mail at all in December, and for November standard bookings for Premium UM and articles greater than 100gm will not be available. Standard delivery for articles up to 100g remains available, however AusPost will not guarantee delivery capacity, and says there may be occasions when a booking is split over multiple weeks. 

The Visual Media Association (VMA), oversees the Mail Industry Coalition (MIC), representing 75 per cent of the industry, which has raised significant concerns over Australia Post’s recent announcement.

It has warned that the decision to halt deliveries during this period is likely to have a devastating impact, especially in the lead-up to the federal election.

VMA has called for a reconsideration of the move, saying the upcoming public will be denied important mailings on the federal election, community emergency notices and seasonal peak trends if the suspension goes ahead.

It also says December is a peak season for retail communications with 34 per cent of the print and letterbox customer base coming from the retail sector, and says during a cost-of-living crisis, the suspension will prevent Australians, again those most impacted in regional areas, from receiving vital product range specials and promotional communications.

It also says December is a significant political mail window, and the lack of distribution during this time will undermine democratic engagement, limiting free and equal access to essential political communications for all Australian citizens.

The VMA further highlights that not all Australians have internet connectivity, accessibility, or digital literacy, with regional Australians being particularly impacted given the limitation to regional distribution network providers. The planned suspension of deliveries will exacerbate these issues during a crucial communication period.

While acknowledging that unaddressed mail is unregulated, and there are solid competitive alternatives, the VMA underscores that Australia Post’s distribution network remains an important service.

 “We are working on building a register and broader distribution network; however, this is not a fully established network as yet and it is acknowledged by Australia Post that they have 100% reach to all Letterboxes across the country. We note the most impacted by these decisions are regional areas and we must do better than to simply leave Australians shut out from important communications, rather build an industry-wide solution with time to be implemented,” commented Kellie Northwood, CEO, Visual Media Association.

“The VMA recognises the commercial considerations of Australia Post’s Parcels division, however emphasises that Australia Post serves as a government-backed service, providing letterbox deliveries across all demographics and regions equally should be a priority,” said Northwood.

Considering these concerns, the VMA is calling on Australia Post to reconsider its position and provide at least one delivery window in December to support distribution schedules already booked. The VMA, and other Mail Industry Coalition members, have written to the minister for communications, Michelle Rowland, and other local MPs to seek support for a December delivery window.

“It is a challenge we are willing to take up and work with Australia Post across, however the silver lining is the concern from customers, government, retailers, educators and emergency service providers reflects how powerful and important the letterbox channel with printed notices is for reaching all Australians,” concluded Northwood.