AP to remain in public hands

Senator Helen Coonan has emphatically confirmed that Australia Post will remain in public hands.Senator Coonan, the Minister for Communications, IT & The Arts, addressed the POAAL Branch Meeting in Sydney last Wednesday, 26 September. The Minister's address covered topics such as the value of Licensees, Agents and Contractors to the operations of Australia Post, the Government's intention to ensure that all Australians have access to postal serevices, including small communities. She noted that LPOs and Community Agencies fill in the gaps in many rural areas as other businesses close.

Above: The Minister, Senator the Hon Helen Coonan, with some of the POAAL members at the Sydney meeting on 26 September.Licensees and Mail Contractors warmly welcomed the Minister to their meeting and took the opportunity to ask pertinent questions after her presentation. The Minister and her Chief of Staff were given a clear picture of how Licensees and Contractors perceive the postal industry and their role in it.The Minister agreed that it was worthwhile for her to take the time to talk directly with people who have invested in the Australian postal industry and noted her appreciation for their role in the community. She advised that the government is preparing to invest in the postal industry - Licensees and Contractors are keen for at least some of that investment to be in their sector.