Glebe post-office threatened as Australia Post axes 27 outlets

Glebe’s historic Post Office will be shut down unless there is community action in the next few weeks.

The move comes as part of 27 post office closures announced by Australia Post around the country, claiming such offices are no longer profitable.

Original reports suggested the office would be closed on December 31 but the decision is yet to be confirmed.

Verity Firth MP, Member for Balmain, said the Glebe Post Office provided an invaluable service to the community and she would fight its closure “all the way”.

“Glebe Post Office caters to the Glebe Estate and provides an essential service for elderly and less mobile people in our local area,” she said.

“These residents rely on the service to pay their bills and stay in touch with their friends and relatives. Shutting down Glebe Post Office is not acceptable to the local community.”

Australia Post defended the move stating it did not receive any taxpayer funding and therefore had to observe commercially sound practices to remain self-sustaining.

”In all instances there are alternative post offices located in close proximity,” reports from Australia Post stated.

“Glebe post office customers have four alternatives within a 1.3-kilometre radius.”

Australia Post’s financial report shows a profit for 2009 – 2010 of $103.0 million, down from $380.9 million in 2008 – 2009.

The report states the key factors in this decline are “a revenue decline of $114.7 million and increasing superannuation costs of $82.4 million.”

“Domestic letter volumes declined by 4.2 per cent this year, representing 200 million fewer items passing through our network,” it states.

“The decline of letter volumes is fundamentally changing the economics of our business – as it is affecting postal businesses across the globe.”

The federal government is Australia Post’s sole shareholder and beneficiary from dividends over the years.

Locals are angered over the move stating the closure will have a detrimental effect on Commerce on Glebe Point Road and will disadvantage pensioners from local public housing who rely on the office for general services.

“I deplore the proposed closure…It is quite irrelevant to claim that it is not making a profit as it is not by its nature a profit making institution but a community service,” Jenny McNaughton wrote on the GetUp! forum.

“It is particularly grim considering the number of aging residents in the streets nearby who would be unable to access alternative post offices.”

President of the Glebe Chamber of Commerce, Sofi Lidgren, told City News the Post Office acted like an ”anchor” for the local community.

“We need a centre, people are going to Broadway instead of Glebe for business.

“We need anchors like the post office.

By Simon Black