Helen Dalton wants the town of Coleambally to fight back. Photo: NSW Legislative Assembly.
The Riverina town of Coleambally will hold a community rally on Tuesday 28 April to protest a significant recent downgrading of the town’s mail services.
The town’s long-standing licensed post office (LPO) closed suddenly on 6 February for reasons that have not been publicly explained.
Some services resumed the following week at Marilyn’s Pharmacy, but key functions are missing. The new outlet does not offer banking, BPAY bill payments, parcel tracking or PO boxes.
Retired farmer Peter O’Connor says the new arrangement isn’t good enough.
“If you go down to the doctor and get a script, you’re not going to want to go to the chemist to talk about your need for your hives while all the people are coming in to post their letters,” he said.
“Australia Post isn’t there to be a money-making arm of the government. It’s providing a service to the community — if it loses money, that’s how it should operate.”
Independent Member for Murray Helen Dalton has also criticised the downgrade.
“Australia Post closed our licensed post office and left Coleambally with a trestle table under a carport. That is not a postal service. That is a shrug,” she said.
“The pharmacy did the right thing because the community needed someone to, and they have done a good job. But a stopgap was never meant to be the answer for a town of more than 1000 people.”
Mrs Dalton said seventy-three post offices closed across Australia last year, and Coleambally was the latest regional community forced to fight for a basic service that city suburbs took for granted.
“Coleambally will not be the next regional town that gets quietly written off,” she said.
“So we are taking it to the street.”
The rally will run for 30 minutes, allowing residents to still get to work and children to get to school. A PA system and speakers have been organised.
Residents are encouraged to bring neighbours, bring their kids on the way through, and bring a sign.
“The bigger and clearer the message, the harder it is for Australia Post to keep looking the other way,” Mrs Dalton said.
“If you can get the word out to one more person in Coly today, please do. This is our town and our post office.”
Kim and Peter O’Connor raised their concerns about postal cutbacks with independent MP Michelle Milthorpe. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
Australia Post says it will try to restore more services in the town at some point in the future.
“Australia Post acknowledges the unexpected closure of the Coleambally licensed post office and the inconvenience this has caused some community members,” a spokesperson said.
“Licensed post offices are owned and operated by licensees as independent local businesses.
“We understand the importance of postal services for the community and moved quickly to establish a community postal agency at Marilyn’s Pharmacy to support customers and maintain postal services in the town.
“Over the coming months we will review the current service to better understand community needs and the most suitable and viable option for the future.
“Coleambally residents can access full services, including banking and Billpay, at Darlington Point LPO and Whitton LPO.”
The community rally will take place from 8 am on Tuesday 28 April in the main shopping area in Coleambally.
