I think if you're posting inside your own state there is kind of a 500g-1kg rate, but not advertised as such, at $11.35. Interstate it's far cheaper to use a 3kg satchel if it will fit in (I box my items then put in a satchel). From NSW to WA, it's cheaper to even use a 5kg satchel if it's a bit large for a 3kg, than posting a 700g item as a parcel.
Again from NSW to WA, it's cheaper to send a 700g item in an express 3kg satchel than it is to post as a regular parcel. $15.65 in an express 3kg satchel compared to $19.30 for a normal slow rate parcel. It makes no sense!
Given that I rarely post anything over 500g, I'm only paying the same regardless of where it's going in the country. A lot of my items are under 250g, so I for one would like to see that rate come back. Sadly, it will never happen.
My understanding of the way AP works out the distance rates is based on their zones.
Adjacent Zones have a concessional rate for larger parcels but this reduces to minimal if your parcel jumps a zone ie Q1 to Q3.
It is also weight/size dependent so you should consult the AP online calculator or the PDF rate document.
After a very short distance flat rate satchels will work out cheaper.
There are a couple of cheap options which you should use when possible:
1. Same zone - $10.05 flat >500g up to 22kg
2. Interzone 50km rate - ditto
This one is a bit tricky but works like this - if your parcel is going into an adjacent zone and the customers delivery centre is within 50km of the originating PO then the same zone rate applies ie $10.05 flat for up to 22kg.
Most PO's should be aware of this by now but some LPO's may try to screw you or inexperienced staff may not even know about it.
Regarding the 250g parcel I should point out a couple of reasons why it can never make a comeback:
1. Contract delivery drivers (that's all AP parcel drivers) are paid $2.00 for each parcel they deliver and this is their only income.
You can see how delivery cost would soon overtake profits if 250g was less th about $5.00
2. In their infinite wisdom AP design criteria for high speed letter sorting equipment set the max thickness at 20mm - go figure.
However (and it's a big however) small parcel delivery is usually by ordinary postie so no $2.00 per.
Unfortunately, AP account for ALL parcels in the same way so even though the delivery cost is -$2 the accounting will read as +$2.
Remember I mentioned earlier that AP management was pretty good at speadsheets?
*ankers - you fill in the missing letter as you see fit.
They used this method of mendacious accounting when arguing for the letter rate rises.
They never told the ACCC that a goodly number of those parcels they make so much money from should actually share profit with the letter stream.
Good honest folk that AP management are it was probably just an oversight though so no fault no foul right?
As for the apparently cheap cost of sending a parcel from UK to Aus - Royal Mail apparently organized a good deal for bulk air cargo - a neat trick that AP seem incapable of doing but then they're not very good at logistics or volume it would appear.
With regard the cheap cost of mail out of China - that's Chinese govt subsidy at work which we could deal with in one of at least 2 ways:
1. Our own anti-dumping legisaltion (political will needed here)
2. Our abstention from the UPU termnal dues agreement along with NZ and Canada - we all reserved the right to charge for local delivery but never acted on it (more political will needed).
