The Senate is holding an inquiry into the future of Australia's Post Office network. If your local Post Office matters to you, this is your opportunity to say so.
Submissions close 7 August 2026.
Parliament is examining how Australia Post manages its retail network and what role Licensed Post Offices play in Australian communities.
The committee will hear from Australia Post, from Post Office owners and from industry groups. What it cannot manufacture is firsthand evidence from the people who rely on their local Post Office every day.
That evidence can only come from you.
A short letter describing your experience, what services you use, what you would lose if your Post Office closed or reduced its services, and what you would like to see in the future, provides evidence the committee cannot get anywhere else.
Submissions close 7 August 2026. The committee’s report is due 12 October 2026 and will inform Parliament’s consideration of the future of the postal network.
You do not need to cover everything. Write about what you know from your own experience. Here are some things the committee would find useful:
Think about what you use your Post Office for. Sending and receiving parcels personally or for your business, paying bills, accessing banking services through Bank@Post, identity or passport services, accessing government services, or simply having a place in your community where someone knows your name.
Describe what you actually use it for and how often.
If your Post Office reduced its services, changed its hours, or closed, what would that mean for you practically? How far would you have to travel to access the same services? Are there members of your community, elderly residents, people without cars, people who do not use the internet, for whom losing the Post Office would have a serious impact?
The committee is also interested in what a better Post Office network could look like. Are there services you wish your Post Office offered? Additional banking, Medicare, Centrelink or other government services, identity verification, community support? If your Post Office could do more, what would make the biggest difference to you and your community?
The Senate has set out six specific questions for this inquiry. Not all of them are relevant to community members and you do not need to address all of them. The ones most likely to be relevant to you are:
The committee wants to understand what Licensed Post Offices actually provide to the communities they serve, particularly in regional, rural and remote Australia, and what the impact would be if those services were reduced or removed.
This is where your experience matters most. You do not need to make a policy argument. Describe what your Post Office provides, who relies on it, and what your community would lose if it changed.
The committee is also asking what a sustainable Post Office network looks like and what services it should be offering. If you have views on what your Post Office could or should be doing, this is the place to share them.
Think about services like banking, Medicare, government payments, identity documents, or anything else that would make your Post Office more useful to you and your community.
The committee has also invited evidence on any other matters relevant to the management of Australia Post’s retail network. If something important does not fit the above, include it anyway.
There is no required format. Your submission can be as short as a few paragraphs. It does not need to sound like a formal document.
A good community submission simply answers a few questions:
Write in your own words. Plain language is entirely appropriate. The committee is interested in your experience, not polished writing.
Save your submission as a Word document or PDF before you send it.
Keep it short: One to two pages is enough. A short, honest letter from someone who uses their Post Office every day is more valuable to the committee than a long document that tries to cover everything.
There are two ways to submit your letter to the committee. Both are equally valid. Choose whichever is easiest for you.
The committee’s online portal is secure. You will receive an email confirmation straight away once your submission has been received.
You will need to create a free account with your email address. The process takes around ten minutes.
For a step-by-step guide to the online process, see the LPOG Submission Hub.
If you would prefer to submit by email, simply write your letter and send it to the committee secretariat. Email is an accepted submission method.
Please note: email submissions are not processed automatically. It may take a little longer to receive confirmation that your submission has been received.
Email your submission to:
seniorclerk.committees.sen@aph.gov.au
In your email, include your name, suburb or town, and write ‘Submission — Australia Post Retail Network Inquiry’ in the subject line.
Submissions close 7 August 2026: Whether you submit online or by email, make sure your submission reaches the committee before 7 August 2026. If you are emailing, allow a few extra days in case of any delay.
Once your submission has been received, the committee will decide whether to accept and publish it. Most submissions are published on the committee’s website with your name.
If you would prefer your submission to be kept private, write the word ‘confidential’ on the front of your document or in the subject line of your email and include a brief reason.
The committee’s report is due 12 October 2026. It will reflect the evidence the committee has received.
Questions about the submission process? Contact the committee secretariat directly.
Phone: +61 2 6277 3526
Email: ec.sen@aph.gov.au
