Protesters peeved over post office closures

Angry Woollahra residents protest over closure of local Sydney post office, while residents in other affected suburbs plan action.

Yesterday, a small but determined group of 30-odd Woollahra residents protested outside of the Queen Street building, (pictured) where they presented local member, Malcolm Turnbull with a petition containing over 2000 signatures.

A spokesman for Malcolm Turnbull told Print21 that he will take the petition to parliament in February and in the meantime has written to Senator Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. “Malcolm has asked them to review the decision for each of the 27 post offices [faced with closure],” the spokesman said.

An Australia Post spokesperson confirmed that the Woollahra Post Office will cease counter services on Friday 4 February 2011, due to “a significant decline in customer numbers.”

According to Rosemary McDonald, resident spokesperson for Queen Street & West Woollahra Association, locals are angry – particularly elderly residents who will have to travel to post offices in Edgecliff, Double Bay or Bondi Junction.

“It means the loss of an important service and just doesn’t seem fair,” she said. “There could have been a compromise so that we didn’t lose the service entirely.”

McDonald also added that local business owners have voiced their concern. “They can’t afford to have their staff spend an hour travelling to another location just to post something,” she said.

Closures are also expected to take place in the Sydney suburbs of Hurstville, Palm Beach, Turramurra and Glebe. Member for Balmain, Verity Firth MP, is planning action.

“I will be launching a campaign in early 2011 calling on the Federal Communications Minister to step in and save Glebe Post Office,” she said. “Shutting down Glebe Post Office is not acceptable and the local community and I will be fighting it all the way.”

On Wednesday 19 January, a public meeting will take place at Turramurra Community Hall to address the closure of the town’s post office.To date, 1,670 signatures of opposition have been gained from residents. According to a spokesperson for Paul Fletcher MP, Member for Bradfield, an invitation has been offered for Australia Post CEO, Ahmed Fahour, or a representative from the company to attend the meeting.

“It will speak volumes if they aren’t there at all,” the spokesman said.

Australia Post announced the 27 closures last year, claiming that the number of letters being posted is falling by more than five percent per year as the world moves towards emails. “There is no doubt that the rise of digital communications has had a significant impact on letter volumes, a trend that is not only isolated to Australia but globally,” an Australia Post spokesperson said.