Wednesday 1 June 2011

New Zealand Post's Dunedin customers are demanding NZ Post keep Dunedin Metro Post Office and Kiwibank at the Exchange open despite an announcement today it faces closure on 23 June 2011.

New Zealand Post managers have finally responded to a petition from Dunedin customers couriered to them last week, with over 2000 signatures, accompanied by over 100 individually signed letters and 100 online comments.

An email arrived late this afternoon to Save Dunedin Metro Post Office and Kiwibank HQ from NZ Post, after media had already been contacted by NZ Post with their announcement.

Customers of the Dunedin Metro might as well not exist, says campaign spokesperson Victor Billot.

"We still haven't had a personal reply from New Zealand Post CEO Brian Roche, who is apparently overseas at a postal conference. Perhaps that expenditure could be redirected into keeping post offices open in New Zealand."

"This post office is ours. The doors are still open and we want to keep it that way," says Mr Billot.

Mayor of Dunedin Dave Cull has written to New Zealand Post CEO Brian Roche asking for a discussion, and providing useful suggestions.

"New Zealand Post must meet with Mayor Cull to discuss his suggestions outlined in his letter to Mr Roche dated 31 May."

The community and the City can work together with New Zealand Post and keep the post office open says Mr Billot.

He says the petition is continuing with many people signing today at a stall outside Dunedin Metro.

Members of the Otago Chamber of Commerce and Unions Otago have communicated with New Zealand Post. Local MP's have approached them with our concerns.

"We intend to the take this campaign right up to the wire. It comes down to Dunedin people. If they care about their services, they will re-double their efforts to make New Zealand Post listen."

The slogan of New Zealand Post is "It's ours." Really? Maybe they need a new motto.

New Zealand Post management have ignored and patronized their customers and owners – the people of New Zealand, who after all, are the ones who own this enterprise.

The most concerning thing about the email received from New Zealand Post management is that using their logic of an ongoing decline in customer numbers, how long will it be before the next Dunedin post office is unilaterally boarded up by some remote bureaucrat?

In an email to media, New Zealand Post management say "It is vital New Zealand Post has a postal and banking network that is sustainable. We need to get that right to ensure we continue to provide valuable and useful services to the people of Dunedin and the rest of the country."

That's what we're asking you to do, New Zealand Post. We want the valuable and useful services. We want the postal and banking network. And despite the fact that New Zealand Post made over $73 million profit last year, those are the services and network that you are taking away from us.

ENDS

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