Aus Post CEO must go: Katters demand action as essential services decline
February 20, 2025
FEDERAL Member for Kennedy, Bob Katter, is calling for the immediate sacking of the Australia Post CEO, Paul Graham, as his pursuit of profits and removal of LPOs threatens the future of essential postal and banking services in regional and remote Australia.
"Paul Graham's arguable obsession with profiteering undermines the foundation of Australia Post. His decision to reduce staffed post offices is devastating communities that rely on these services," Mr Katter said. "We are calling for his immediate removal and a change in direction at Australia Post."
Mr Katter's statement comes after the Burke Shire Council stepped in to keep the remote Burketown Post Office open, following the impending retirement of the town's postmistress. Unfortunately this move will see the post office lose the region's only in-person banking facilities.
While Mr Katter thanked the Council for preventing the loss of the postal service, he warned this is only a temporary fix. The Burketown LPO serves not only the immediate community but as far west as the Northern Territory border, and is the central hub for mail distribution to Doomadgee, Gregory, and surrounding cattle stations.
The LPO is one of many nationwide facing potential closure due to retirements or staffing issues. According to Burke Shire Mayor Ernie Camp, these closures will undermine the ability of remote communities to thrive.
"The LPO is an absolute necessity and a vital aspect of the community," Mr Camp explained.
"Australia Post did have a meeting with our Council but the government needs to put up their hand to keep it going. With the current proposal from Australia Post, no banking can be done. This is a hindrance to our small community.
"Those from my generation can find internet banking difficult, not to mention that connectivity is unreliable, at best, in remote areas. Our community cannot survive without an LPO."
Mr Katter agrees. "The nearest post office is hours away, and the nearest banking facility is a seven-hour round trip – Burketown residents will be left absolutely isolated if they lose that service.
"We thank the Burke Shire Council for stepping in, but let's be clear – this is just a band-aid fix. We need a long-term solution. We must find a permanent operator, and we need Australia Post to overhaul its approach to regional and remote Australia.
"Paul Graham's turned Australia Post into a profit-making enterprise, when it should be a service to Australians," Mr Katter said. "One of the greatest CEOs in recent Australian history, Christine Holgate, understood this – she never closed a single service outlet and fought to keep Australia Post serving all Australians. If Paul Graham's focus is purely financial, then he needs to be removed."
To address the systemic issues in Australia Post, Mr Katter is demanding a restructure of the postal system. He supports the calls from Angela Cramp and the LPO Group for the government to provide a subsistence payment of $100,000 to support remote LPOs, similar to how pharmacies are supported.
Australia Post was set up as "a service for the public," KAP Leader and Member for Traeger Robbie Katter explained. "Out in the regions we don't have the same level of luxury as the city where there are multiple options for couriers to get people what they want and need.
"Closing down post offices, or creating conditions where they close down, is not conducive to that.
"Also, there is a great opportunity across Australia for those postal centres, which are already doing a bit of banking activity, to get into lending.
"The banking functions can help subsidise the cost of the activities of the post office and keep the whole operation viable."
ENDS
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