AP Charges on RTS Parcels

[digital*ghost]

I know this has been discussed before, I was actually trying to dig up one of the older threads as I seem to recall there once being a link posted to an AP page that mentioned articles can be RTS without cost, but I can't seem to find that... (if this page still exists and someone has a link to it, I would be very appreciative 🙂 ). 

Otherwise, is anyone able to shed some light on any official Aus Post guides, or regulations, conditions etc, that can show explicitly what / when / how these charges can be applied (general service terms, I mean, rather than anything written into something like an eParcel contract).

A lot of Aus Post guides mention a 'General Guide' when referencing the existence of policies surrounding undeliverable and returned mail, (named General Post guide (8837578) ), but a thorough search for this guide with no success makes me think it's either old / deleted, or non-existant entirely. If the former, and anyone has a downloaded copy of the PDF, I'd really love a copy if willing to send it through to me somehow. 

[digital*ghost]

[Replying in general]

The clause in the General Terms states:

Where a parcel post article, an express post container or an express post parcel is returned to its sender pursuant to this clause and its return entails its carriage from the office at which it was held for delivery to another office, postage is payable on that carriage as if it were an original carriage between the office at which it was held for delivery and the return address of the sender.

So, I think helen is right (in that it's the PO or LPO that applies the charge), and gather that if a parcel is successfully delivered then marked RTS and dropped off in a red street box, or refused at a physical address, rather than held for collection and returned by the holding office, the charge won't (or is unlikely to) be applied. I've had a few parcels that were deemed undeliverable (insufficient address) and immediately RTS, refused delivery, or accepted then marked RTS, and none of those came back with a charge - the parcel referred to above was awaiting collection at a PO for a while before being RTS.