Government services in post offices

POAAL welcomes Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull's recent comments that more Government services should be transacted at post offices.The post office network reaches Australians in all parts of country, including rural and remote areas, meaning that Australians would enjoy increased access to Government services.Licensees would benefit from increased business levels at their LPOs. Increased business levels at LPOs will help keep the Post Office in the community.There would be significant benefits to Centrelink clients, for example, especially to those living in rural and remote areas of Australia. Centrelink clients in rural and remote areas are currently disadvantaged by factors such as isolation, lack of transport, lack of online access, cost of technology, poor mobile coverage, disabilities, old age and infirmities, and the cost of travel to larger population centres.Australia has almost 2900 Licensed Post Offices (LPOs) which form around 75% of Australia Post’s network of Post Offices. LPOs are located in suburban, regional, country and isolated areas of Australia. Most of them have online technology. All deal with sensitive data every day, including the mail, banking, passport applications and document witnessing.POAAL has been lobbying for a greater range of Government services to be provided through LPOs, making life easier and services more accessible to all Australian residents, not just those living in areas of high population density.