Economic and social value of Australia Post

There are widespread perceptions that postal services are no longer relevant in an increasingly digital age. In Australia, addressed letter volumes have declined from 3.6 billion deliveries in 2013 to 2.6 billion in 2017.

But Australia Post continues to make important economic and social contributions across Australia, and this value is about more than replacing letter delivery with parcel delivery as e-commerce retail grows. In this report, Deloitte Access Economics explores the significance of Australia Post by analysing its value to Australian communities, businesses and individuals. 

Findings:

• 92% of Australians have visited a post office in the past six months, with an average of 10 visits per person in that six month period. 
• Australia Post’s direct economic contribution in FY2017 was $3.2 billion in value added (contribution to GDP from Australia Post’s operations). Every $1 generated in value added creates another $0.86 in other industries, for a total indirect contribution of $2.8 billion through flow-on economic activity. 
• The total economic contribution of almost $6 billion was larger than that of some other significant Australian industries, such as broadcasting ($5.8 billion) and professional, computer and electronic manufacturing ($5.1 billion).
• In FY2017, Australia Post directly employed 26,500 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers. For every FTE created by Australia Post, another FTE was created elsewhere in other businesses and industries around Australia, for a total of more than 51,000 FTEs supported by Australia Post’s operations.