Rural Women New Zealand warns of postal cutbacks impacting rural communities

For rural residents, a regular postal service is a key way they can access essential farming supplies, says Anne Jakeman, the chair of the RWNZ Muhonoa East branch.

Proposed cutbacks to postal delivery services will negatively impact those living in rural communities, Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) is warning.

The Government is proposing changing the deed of understanding it has with NZ Post to only require post to be delivered a minimum two days a week in urban areas and three days a week in rural areas, and reducing the minimum number of postal outlets in the country from 880 to 500.

The proposal has “stunned” members of RWNZ, said chief executive Marie Fitzpatrick.

“It’s appalling that NZ Post is abandoning the quality of its service and putting commercial viability ahead of the need for rural communities to access basic postal services.”

“These proposals will disproportionately impact rural communities, as well as the elderly and those with health issues and disabilities, who will be forced to wait longer and travel greater distances to do basic things like clear their post box, send a letter or pay a bill.”

RWNZ Muhunoa East branch chair Anne Jakeman is concerned the cuts, if they go ahead, will make life even busier for rural women than it already is.

“Many rural women are skills-rich but time-poor because they are farmers, wives, mothers, teachers and secretaries. Having to regularly make long trips to town for supplies or mail is neither time- nor cost-effective.”

The deed of understanding was last reviewed in 2013. Since that last review, New Zealand’s digital connectivity had significantly improved, the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) said.

Improved digital connectivity wasn’t always the case for rural families, Jakeman said.

“It is all very well to say that more is done online now, but many rural people have very poor, unreliable or no internet connection.”

In 2002, about a billion mail items went through NZ Post in a year. In the last financial year, that was 187 million and it is expected to drop to 107 million by 2028.

Many of the items still being delivered by mail are essential supplies for farmers and other rural residents, said Jakeman.

A regular postal service meant they could get access to necessary supplies such as sprays, drenches, other farm supplies, newspapers and mail in a timely manner, she said.

The drop in mail volume was a “double-ended saw” in her opinion.

“Because volume is dropping each year, NZ Post increase their prices each year. Every year the price increases, people send less mail and parcels. It should also be noted that rural people pay significantly more for parcel deliveries that urban dwellers pay.”

Jakeman is also concerned by the proposed removal of a cap on the overall number of communal delivery points. Under the current deed of understanding, no more than 3% of total delivery points may be comprised of counter services or community mailboxes. The proposed change would allow any new delivery points to be communal delivery points. NZ Post would also be allowed to switch up to 5% of its pre-existing delivery points to communal delivery points per year.

“I have a concern that if the proposed communal delivery points are too isolated, or some distance from homes, there could be a risk of more mailbox thefts. Multiple thefts could occur very quickly when large numbers of letterboxes are grouped together,” Jakeman said.

Fitzpatrick said she was frustrated by the lack of detail in the proposal.

“NZ Post needs to be upfront with New Zealanders about the post outlets it plans on closing. The consultation document says rural communities will not be disproportionately affected, but there is no detail on where services will be cut. Our rural communities play a vital role in New Zealand’s economy and deserve better.”

The short timeframe of the consultation period was also a concern, she said.

“We are also concerned the consultation is being run online only, with no face-to-face community engagement and a short six-week consultation window. This will make it difficult for rural people to have their say.

“We strongly encourage rural communities to submit on this issue and let the Government know the proposals go too far and need to be scaled back.”

The consultation is open until December 10.

Ilona Hanne is a Taranaki-based journalist who covers breaking and community news from across the lower North Island. She has worked for NZME since 2011.