Australia Post, Oaklands Park Closure

S.E. ANDREWS (Gibson) (15:17): I rise to speak on a matter of great concern to my community, and that is the imminent closure of Australia Post at Oaklands Park. It has caused so much concern; people are walking into my office visibly distressed that this service to our community, this essential service to our community, is closing.

It is worth thinking about the location of this office. It is at the Marion shopping centre which, of course, is a public transport hub; if you cannot drive, that is how you get there. The surrounding suburbs of Sturt, Warradale and Oaklands Park are suburbs where many people are not particularly mobile, where many people are elderly. They rely on this essential service and they rely on buses or even simply walking to get to this essential service. It is outrageous that Australia Post is closing this service on June 30 this year.

I have been doorknocking about this matter, and people are absolutely shocked and distressed at this decision. While I was doorknocking I met Ann, a lovely woman who was actually at the post office in March 1968, the day it opened, and she has been going there ever since. In fact, many people talk to me about how they have had their post office box there for the last 20 years.

We hear about Australia Post consolidating their stores. They used to have two stores at Marion shopping centre, and we are already reduced down to one. Now they want to close this one. I have been standing outside this post office for the last few weeks getting petitions, speaking to the community about their concerns, and there is always a queue. It is also worth noting that this is one of the few Australia Post outlets in the area that is open on a Saturday morning—a very busy time to attend the service.

It is also worth noting, when I have been speaking to the community, how much regard they have for their relationship with the staff there. The staff there have been there for a long time, and a lot of people who use the services of Australia Post are there because their bank office is no longer open. They do their banking there. They do all their financial transactions there. They rely on this service and having staff there they can rely on and they know and who are a friendly face means an awful lot to them. To have that taken away from them is really a shocking decision.

It is also true that the City of Marion community bus takes people from all around, even wider suburbs, to come and visit and they go to this post office because it is located at Marion shopping centre. They can use the postal services and then, of course, they can also do their grocery shopping, so it is going to really make it particularly difficult. The closest post offices at Brighton and Park Holme do not have easy public transport services available, so it is going to have an absolute impact on our community.

Of course, I have written to the CEO of Australia Post, urging them to reconsider this terrible decision. I have written to the Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland, asking her what she can do to make a difference for our community because this is an absolutely terrible decision. In fact, it has been of such community interest that in just the last week I have done two radio interviews on this matter. I particularly feel for the elderly people in my community. They are worried about the future. They say, 'Well, I can walk there now, but what about when my husband can't drive me there? What am I going to do then?' It really is going to have a massive impact.

Unfortunately, there is a lot happening at Marion shopping centre at the moment and none of it is particularly good news. In March, I heard on the radio the mayor, Kris Hanna, being interviewed saying that he had been approached by Westfield Marion about their consideration to bring in paid parking. It is remarkable. You would think they may have paid attention to the campaign my colleagues ran in the lead-up to the last election to prevent paid parking at Tea Tree Plaza, but, no, they are contemplating having another crack and this time the people of my community are their target.

We know, of course, that this going to mean that people will no longer shop there. It will have a terrible impact on the workers. People who work in retail are often casual, low-paid staff. They cannot afford to park while they are doing their three-hour minimum shift. It is all happening at Marion, but do not worry, you can sign the petition and campaign with me.