By ANNE-MARIE EMERSON
New Zealand Post's new postcodes are causing some confusion for its counterparts across the Tasman.
At least one Wanganui resident has had mail sent from Queensland with the postcode, 4500, crossed out by Australia Post.
David Groves, of Wanganui East, and his brother, who lives in Biggera Waters, Queensland, correspond
regularly by mail. Mr Groves has noticed his brother's recent letters have had the postcode crossed out and "NZ" written beside them.
Australia and New Zealand both have four-digit postcodes. At least 10 places in Queensland have the postcode 4500.
Mr Groves said he is still receiving his brother's letters, but is concerned that as the postcodes become more widely used in New Zealand, trans-Tasman confusion could happen more frequently.
"I just wonder why New Zealand Post didn't think of this before they brought the new postcodes in."
New Zealand Post spokesman Richard MacLean said Mr Groves' story was only the second incident he had heard of New Zealand and Australian postcodes being confused.
"The system's being going a year now, and as far as we know there aren't any major problems.
"However, we are discussing the situation with our counterparts in Australia to see if there have been problems with mail from New Zealand being delivered to the right place."
Mr MacLean said if the problem was widespread, it could be fixed easily.
"It would be something as simple as recalibrating the scanning machines to read the destination country first, before the postcode."
Mr MacLean said New Zealand Post would like to hear from anyone who has had problems with trans-Tasman postcodes being confused.
