Owing to the uncertainities for events such as this in the forseeable future, the Board is postponing the planned Tasmanian AGM until 2021. We would like to have as many people coming to Tasmania for this weekend as possible, but if we are busy worrying about our health and our financial well being, visiting Tasmania may not be of the highest priority for many in 2020.

Australia Post launched Deloitte Access Economics research paper in Canberra today.

Economic and social value of Australia Post to regional, rural and remote Australia

We have pleasure in presenting Terry Ashcroft's 2020 Newsletter to share with Licensees around the country who miss out on the hard copy.

2020 Ashcroft Newsletter.pdf

For NSW Licensees, the hardcopy and calendar will be in the mail shortly.

Many LPOs across the country are going to be facing tough times while their communities try to rebuild and get back on track. Retail and transaction counts will be pretty low for quite a while.

If this is what you are facing the following news article might be of interest. Maybe in your downtime you could make a submission for a grant to help tide you over while your community is focused on recovery.

It won't hurt to put up your case. As with all these things, there will be no guarantee, but everyone will still want their mail.

For hundreds of LPOs 2020 has not started out quite as expected. The widespread bushfires have had a dramatic impact over most of the eastern seaboard and in many other locations in SA and WA. 

2020 might well be going to be a decade of change for our industry, or more probably, a decade of facing the realities of the changes of the last decade that has cut through our safe little harbour. But without a doubt a challenging future is coming. 

And it is not just us. NZ Post is shutting down its corporate network and setting up a version of inconjunction outlets to provide a limited service presence in communities. We have all been concluding that Kiwi Bank had saved the PO network. Apparently not.

and before you know it, a new one starting again..........

So make the most of this festive season with you and your families and friends.

Merry Christmas to us all.

Update on Ron.

Bossie called today to let us know he is on the mend. He has been in hospital for over 4 months and has been to the brink and back. Today was his first day back on his 2 feet and he sounded very happy. He has asked us to thank all the many people who sent him cards to cheer him along. He was overwhelmed and very appreciated of all the good wishes and support from his Post Office people. He said he would like to reply to everyone but there was so many it would take him too long and he wanted to get his thanks out there as quickly as possible.

The viability and sustainability of the LPO network is ranked as a high priority on CEO of Australia Post Christine Holgate’s must have list. This is a breakthrough position for Licensees, and it is time for Licensees to grab the opportunities and grow our Post business to help ourselves to a much better future.