The printing industry is aghast at the way Australia Post is being run, with secretive manipulation of mail markets, massive price increases and an overall impression of a directionless, ill-informed organisation, says Print21 magazine editor Andy McCourt. In an open letter to new Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield, McCourt has called for urgent action to prevent a disaster. Read the full letter here.
The Hon. Mitch Fifield
Minister for Communications
Parliament House
Canberra, ACT 2600
30th September 2015
An Open Letter to the New Minister for Communications regarding Australia Post
Dear Mr Fifield,
Congratulations on being appointed Minister for Communications. With Australia Post in your portfolio, I wanted to contact you concerning the deteriorating state of Australia Post. Shortly before his elevation to PM; I did contact The Hon. Malcolm Turnbull, your predecessor but naturally do not expect a reply from him now he has handed Communications over to you.
As the editor of Print21 magazine, the official journal of the Printing Industries Association of Australia, I am concerned at the impact of Australia Post’s proposed price increases. The Printing and allied industries (eg packaging) employ upwards of 45,000 Australians and generate a primary $6.5 billion in revenues and twice that when value-added is taken into consideration. It is a very important industry to the nation and has adapted, and continues to adapt, very well to the digital age.
Post, both unaddressed and addressed mail, is still a very important adjunct to sectors of the printing industry. As you will be aware, approximately 80% of all letter mail is business-related. Despite falling volumes, mail as a delivery vehicle for print is vitally important here, and in all countries. The notion that email and other 'e-x' forms of communication will totally subsume printed mail is entirely false and demonstrably so. For example, catalogues remain the retail industry's most effective form of sales-generation; with most of these being delivered into mailboxes by both Australia Post and contractors such as Salmat.
The printing industry is aghast at the way Australia Post is being run. It sees secretive manipulation of mail markets, without consultation, massive price increases both past and planned and an overall impression of a directionless, ill-informed organisation that is now losing both money and key managerial staff.
I and everyone in Australia's printing industry implore you to take an urgent look into Australia Post and look at the examples set by other nations such as the UK and Germany, where good, strong, intelligent leadership is seeing mail through into the digital age of pluralistic media; just as it did when the telephone was invented.
I urge you not to be blinded by, what futurist Clifford Stoll called "Silicon Snake Oil" in that anything with an 'e' in front of it is automatically good and progressive and will vanquish 'old tech.' Nothing could be further from the truth. Virtually all of my unsolicited commercial email goes into my Spam filtered box without me ever seeing it; I would suggest I am in the majority. You can't package Weeties in an 'e' box! Great Australian companies such as Amcor and Orara make their profits mostly with print-related disciplines. Printed books produced by the likes of PMP, Opus Group and SOS Printing are on the increase again, enjoying a pluralism with e-Books.
Australia Post, we believe, is on the wrong track, tooth and claw. Please note also the comments in the following link.
I urge you to investigate urgently and prevent disaster, and deliver for all Australians a Postal Service to be proud of - as well as an NBN and any other 'e-' method, which are of course also essential.
Lastly, may I extend this invitation for you to contribute a page of editorial outlining your government’s policy on printed mail and Australia Post in the upcoming issue of Print 21? It will be reproduced unedited and in full, also on this online forum.
Wishing you every success in your new portfolio.
Yours sincerely,
Andy McCourt
Editor
Print21 Magazine
140 William Street
Woolloomooloo
Sydney