NZ Post cuts services, raising fears for offline older Kiwis – The Front Page

NZ Post is removing services from 142 partner stores this year.

It follows a long line of postal groups around the world scaling back as we enter a new era dominated by tech.

Czech Post closed 300 post office branches, the Greek postal service shut more than 200 last year, UK networks have gone through rolling waves of reductions, and Denmark has ended traditional letter delivery entirely – an end to a 400-year-old service.

Of the 142 stores closing, 29 are in Auckland and 22 are in Christchurch.

“The remaining network of 567 stores will still be significantly larger than any New Zealand supermarket or bank branch network,” NZ Post general manager consumer Sarah Sandoval said.

“In fact, 90% of Kiwis living in urban areas will still be within 4km of an NZ Post store.”

Age Concern New Zealand chief executive Karen Billings-Jensen told The Front Page that it’s important to think about those who will be affected the most.

“We think of those for whom transport and travel distance as both difficult because of maybe a disability or the cost. That’s kind of one half and then the other half of those who may not be digitally literate.

“We know that the figures for those over 65 are 25% who are not digitally literate or online. Then for 75 plus, it increases to about 37%. For those ages 85 and over, it is even higher in terms of not being online.

“The other thing is connectivity. Not everyone is able to afford to be online, particularly on a very fixed budget.

“We know not everyone can afford a smartphone, so I guess it’s the affordability issue of needing to be online,” she said.

In an ever-evolving digital age, Billings-Jensen said that there’s a challenge to make sure we don’t leave people behind.

“We have amazing groups that invest in supporting digital literacy. That’s one step. Dealing with the cost is another matter.

“If we’re saying everything is online, should provision of internet be seen as an essential service ... So we then need to say, actually, when we talk about key things that you need to pay, rates, electricity - does connectivity need to be factored in as something that’s essential?”

Listen to the full episode to hear more about:

• Significance for older people
• Community support and training
• Social and emotional effects
• Possible policy changes.

The Front Page is a daily news podcast from the New Zealand Herald, available to listen to every weekday from 5am. The podcast is presented by Chelsea Daniels, an Auckland-based journalist with a background in world news and crime/justice reporting who joined NZME in 2016.

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