19 December 2014

 

FEDERAL Member for New England Barnaby Joyce has welcomed a decision from Australia Post to support the installation of a drive-through street posting [DSP] box in Armidale.

 

Mr Joyce met with members of the Armidale Access Committee on 11 December and heard of a 15-year campaign effort striving to get the DSP installed.

 

He spoke with committee chairman, Steve Austin and deputy chairperson, Peter Bannon, Armidale Dumaresq Council’s Community Services Manager Jane Guilfoyle and Councillor Jenny Bailey.

 

He was presented with a petition of more than 600 signatures by Mr Bannon.

 

Mr Joyce immediately made contact with Australia Post Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Ahmed Fahour and within five days a letter of support for the project had arrived at his office.

 

“This is a great outcome for Armidale and the people within the community who would be well served with such a facility,” Mr Joyce said.

 

Mr Fahour said while Australia Post had in the past taken the position that the proposal could not be supported due to safety concerns, he’d been advised the issues had been discussed with the Armidale Dumaresq Council and that each one could be addressed.

 

Cr Bailey said the DSP was planned to be installed in O’Connor Place and serve in tandem with a drive through automatic teller machine that would be installed by the Community Mutual Credit Union.

 

Cr Bailey said it was her understanding once the two services were operating it would be the only service of its kind in the nation.

 

“I’m very happy with this decision, particularly on behalf of Steve and Peter who have been campaigning for 15 years to get this service up and going,” she said. 

 

 

 

 

 

Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce [right] meeting with Armidale Access committee members and supporters, Committee Chairman, Steve Austin, Cr Jenny Bailey, Armidale Dumaresq Council’s Jane Guilfoyle, Marion Stone and deputy chairperson Peter Bannon.