Australia's postal market is competitive for most services but Australia Post has an exclusive right to deliver reserved letters—generally letters less than 250 grams. We administer the Australian Postal Corporation Act 1989, Australian Postal Corporation Regulations 2021 and Australian Postal Corporation (Performance Standards) Regulations 2019.
Australia Post has legislated commercial, community and treaty obligations, including providing a national letter service at a single uniform rate of postage in accordance with the Performance Standards. The Performance Standards include requirements for letter delivery speed, frequency and accuracy, as well as the number and accessibility of post offices and street posting boxes.
In collaboration with the Department of Finance, we also provide oversight of Australia Post as a government business enterprise, wholly owned by the Australian Government. The Australia Post Board and management are responsible for the day-to-day running of the organisation. Australia Post is required by law to operate commercially and does not receive funding from the government.
Postal Services Modernisation
Changing consumer needs and growing digitisation means Australia Post has to modernise to keep pace with what Australians expect from their postal service.
On 6 December 2023, the Australian Government announced reforms to enable Australia Post to boost productivity, increase its focus on parcels, and improve long-term financial sustainability.
These important reforms will allow Australia Post to invest in products and services for the future. The reform package will also boost the productivity of Australia Post's workforce by freeing up its delivery and processing resources to support parcel delivery.
To be operational from 15 April 2024, the Australian Postal Corporation (Performance Standards) Regulations 2019 have been amended so that:
- for 98 per cent of locations within Australia, ordinary letters will be delivered every second day (rather than every day)
- Australia Post has an extra day to deliver ordinary letters across Australia
- Australia Post can change the way it manages priority mail so it can deliver services at a more commercial rate and work with customers to set appropriate terms and conditions
- the geographic classification for Post Office outlets has been updated to more accurately reflect recent population changes.
The new Regulations are available at legislation.gov.au.
The delivery timetable below applies to ordinary letters. Delivery times vary depending on where you are sending from, and where you are sending to. Australia Post will progressively implement changes to its delivery operations to adjust to the new delivery timetable.
If you are sending a letter, it is important to be aware that even if letter delivery arrangements have not yet changed in your area, they may have changed in the area you are sending to.
| Item | If the mail lodgement point is... | and the delivery address is... | then the delivery time for an ordinary letter is... |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1—Delivery within a State | |||
| 1 | in the capital city of a State | within that capital city | 4 business days after day of posting |
| 2 | in another city, or a town, in a State |
within:
(a) that city or town; or (b) an adjacent city or town in that State |
4 business days after day of posting |
| 3 | in the capital city of a State | in a place within that State other than that capital city | 5 business days after day of posting |
| 4 | in another city, or a town, in a State |
in a place within that State other than:
(a) that city or town; or (b) an adjacent city or town in that State |
5 business days after day of posting |
| 5 | in a place in a State other than a place mentioned in column 1 of item 1 or 2 of this table | within that State | 5 business days after day of posting |
| Part 2—Delivery between States | |||
| 6 | in the capital city of a State | within the capital city of another State | 6 business days after day of posting |
| 7 | outside the capital city of a State | within the capital city of another State | 7 business days after day of posting |
| 8 | in the capital city of a State | outside the capital city of another State | 7 business days after day of posting |
| 9 | outside the capital city of a State | outside the capital city of another State | 8 business days after day of posting |
The amended Regulations use the Australian Bureau of Statistics' (ABS) Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) to classify Post Offices as located in metropolitan or non-metropolitan areas. Maps showing the boundaries of the new definition 'in major cities' are available on the Maps of Major Cities Boundaries for Post page.
Importantly, the reforms will not reduce the minimum number of Local Post Offices that Australia Post must maintain, including in regional Australia.
Consultation on amendments to the Regulations occurred in February 2024. To view submissions to this consultation, visit the Have your say page on the department's website.
See: Media Release—Modernising Australia Post
As part of the reform package, the Australian Government is also exploring potential changes to enable Australia Post to set the stamp price over multiple years. This would give Australia Post, businesses and consumers more long-term certainty about postage costs for regular letters.
New Statement of Expectations for Australia Post
The Minister for Finance, Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher and Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP, have issued a new Statement of Expectations for Australia Post. The Statement reflects the government's commitment to, and expectations of, Australia Post with regard to maintaining essential postal services, continuing to operate as a sustainable and commercial business, and implementing postal services modernisation reforms.
Complaints
As a first step, any issues or complaints should be raised directly with Australia Post. Customers can call 13 POST (13 76 78) or visit www.auspost.com.au/help-and-support to resolve common issues.
Should you encounter any issues with other parcel couriers or postal operators, please contact the operator directly to seek a resolution.
If you are not satisfied with Australia Post's handling of your complaint, a further option is to contact the Postal Industry Ombudsman (PIO). Information on the types of complaints the PIO can investigate is available on the Commonwealth Ombudsman's website at www.ombudsman.gov.au/complaints/postal-industry-complaints.
Shareholder Departments' investigation into Australia Post
On 22 October 2020, the Australian Government announced that the department, together with the Department of Finance, would conduct a formal investigation into gifts provided to senior managers at Australia Post. A final report on the investigation is available.