Australia Post at Senate Estimates

Australia Post appeared briefly before a Senate Estimates Committee at Parliament House in Canberra late on Thursday 4 April. Senators from various political parties were able to ask questions of senior Australia Post management during the hearing.Christine Holgate (Australia Post's CEO/MD), Rod Barnes (General Manager, Deliveries), David McNamara (General Manager, Post Office Network), Nick Macdonald (General Counsel and Acting Corporate Secretary) and Janelle Hopkins (Group Chief Financial Officer) appeared before the committee.Senators asked questions on a variety of topics, and Australia Post's answers included some indication of where management wants to take the organisation. Here are some of the subjects discussed:

• Strong confirmation of the continuing decline in letters
• Potential for an application to increase the basic postage rate (BPR)
• Overseas visits by Australia Post's CEO
• Business opportunities (including healthcare and government)
• Efficiency measures and a review by consultants KordaMentha and PwC
• Bank@Post
• Philatelic
• Appointments to the Australia Post Board
• Safety Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission finding against Australia Post
• Trial of sorting at regional mail centres

Click here to download a proof version of Hansard's transcript of Australia Post's appearance. Australia Post's appearance starts at page 119.