The latest increase in postage costs has prompted this post.
Australia Post is currently losing around $70m a year, largely apparently because of the costs incurred for delivering items which arrive from overseas (as a result of some sort of international postage treaty agreement and probably also as a result of various free trade agreements).
I actually don't have a real problem with any of this in theory - but I DO have a big problem with the way it is implemented, especially as it seems that the latest round of price (and more importantly) policy adjustments (eg the apparent extension of cubing to items weighing under 500g) to DOMESTIC costs are driven to a large extent by the need to recover this loss.
If Government (or its utilities) agree to international treaties that should - and usually is - a cost born by government through general taxes.
Except - apparently - postage. Here the Australian user pays not only for their own costs of postage but is also paying for the costs of imported items.
My view is that if there are treaties we have entered into that increase costs to AP then these need to be excluded from any domestic costings ... as these are intergovernmental agreements that's a government cost.
And if you want to get an idea of just how much Oz Post is straying from its core business go to their home page. What you'll see is a picture of Halong Bay (just over the border from China) and a promo for buying international money cards.
Silly me .. I thought Australia Post's prime business was the delivery of letters and parcels.
