AusPost Drives $10.6 Billion to Regional E-Commerce Market

In a new report from Deloitte – ‘Economic and social value of Australia Post to regional, rural and remote Australia’ – Australia Post has employed more than 10,800 jobs and delivered a $10.6 billion e-commerce market through ‘delivery and post office networks’, which is ‘increasingly important to regional, rural and remote (regional) Australia’.

“The most important aspiration in regional communities is to have access to services, such as education, health and government,” said Christine Holgate, the CEO and Managing Director of Australia Post. “And regional Australians see Australia Post as the most present service provider in their community, ahead of schools, cafes, pubs and grocery stores. After the local doctor and police, Australia Post is also the most trusted service provider in regional communities.”

The report, which measures and quantifies the impact AusPost has on non-metro areas. “We’ve seen this come to life in towns affected by bushfires lately,” Holgate explained. “Post offices have become community hubs for information, shelter and basic services. We even heard of firefighting crews battling hard to save the local post office, because they knew the importance of the post office to the community during and after disaster.”

The report found that almost 36 million parcels were collected in regional post offices and hubs in FY2019. Moreover, ‘approximately half of regional Australians make an online purchase requiring delivery at least once a month’.

Outside rural areas, the report suggests that Australians spent approximately $28 billion on online shopping in FY2019. In total, 35.9 million parcels were collected at regional post offices or Australia Post sites in FY2019. This implies that many ‘residents in regional areas rely on this physical infrastructure in order to receive e-commerce purchases’.

The Deloitte study places a ‘unique place in this country and reinforces the social and economic benefits post office networks provide’, said Hon Paul Fletcher MP, the Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts.

“While the digital age is advancing at a rapid rate, the postal service continues to have a very important function, including in regional and remote Australia. Our strong postal network contributes to equity of access and a sense of community,” explained Fletcher. “This report highlights the important role that Australia Post has in our community.”

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