HINDLEY STREET POST OFFICE

Ms SANDERSON (Adelaide) (15:33): I rise today to speak on behalf of my constituents regarding the impending closure of the Hindley Street post office. This post office is used by a lot of the businesses around this area and many members of parliament. This post office is closing on 15 October. For eight years I had a business on North Terrace and used this post office regularly, as do many of the businesses on Hindley Street. As we are trying to promote daytime trade in Hindley Street, I think it is imperative that we keep services such as a post office available.

In particular, there are two bookstores on Hindley Street that have regular deliveries. Every day they post out books. I was told today that, near Christmas, there are up to 10 cartons a day which have to be carried or wheeled over to send to people around the world.

It is also the closest post office to the four or five major international hotels in this area, so it is very convenient for our tourists. However, there are also a lot of residents living in the city who use this post office. Apparently, for the past three years there have been declining profits and that has led to the impending closure. However, I believe there might be a couple of reasons for that happening over the last few years. There have also been building works for two years on the corner of Bank Street and North Terrace, which has taken away most of the car parking along the area, which would be the most accessible entry to the post office. That looks like it will be finishing soon; so I am hoping that the post office will reconsider. Today's City Messenger states:

City councillors unanimously voted at this week's meeting to send a formal request to Australia Post, calling for it to reserve its decision to shut the Station Arcade branch on October 15.

I ask the Premier to do the same, to write to them, especially considering a former member of this house, the Hon. Trish White, has now been appointed to the board. Perhaps she will look upon us favourably. I note also that it is part of the capital city plan and the city council's plan to have 1,300 new residents move into the city each year until 2012. Whilst it might not be good economic times now for the post office, I think they need to think about the future when there will be more people living in the city. This is a vital service that should not be removed.

In the new year, the new residential building will open, and there will be lots of international students living there. I would ask that they at least wait six months to get through the very busy Christmas period, see they how they are affected by all the new residents who will be moving into this area and parking is freed up on Bank Street. I ask the government to do whatever it can to help them.

To reiterate, this is a vital service. It is always busy at lunchtime, so it is well used. If it is not viable perhaps they could look at different lines they are holding and different ways to help it. Certainly, as a business owner myself, I would not suggest that a business stay open when it is losing money. However, I think that they should stay open for at least six months and reassess, because there are more people coming and business is picking up. It has been a tough few years for most people in business. Hopefully, the government will do something to help.