(Photo: Adam Carr)
October 29, 2013
Lobbying by local residents, the South Burnett Regional Council and the Federal Member for Maranoa Bruce Scott to change the postcode for Blackbutt-Benarkin has fallen on deaf ears.
In a document sighted by southburnett.com.au, an Australia Post representative claims a change would add significant costs to its operations.
It says the change – which has been requested by residents to lower insurance premiums – is not necessary now “or for the foreseeable future”.
Australia Post noted the matter had been raised “several times” including by now-Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
However the corporation could see no reason to support a change as current mail delivery arrangements were “working well”.
Australia Post maintains that postcodes are solely used to facilitate the delivery of mail.
It says changing a postcode would require the alteration of mail transportation routes, risking a “compromise” to mail delivery times.
“The application or utilisation of postcodes by insurance providers, government departments/agencies or any other party for whatever purpose is not something that would, or should, influence Australia Post’s operational decisions,” the document notes.
Australia Post said third parties should be using their own data for operational purposes rather than relying on postcodes.
It was unreasonable to expect Australia Post to change its arrangements if third parties were “not abiding by reasonable practices”, it said.
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