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Commonwealth act
The Australian Postal Corporation Act 1989 is the foundational law that creates and governs Australia Post — the government-owned company that delivers your letters and parcels.
Australia Post is established as a government-owned corporation with a Board of Directors, a Chairperson, and a Managing Director. It can sign contracts, own property, sue people, and be sued.
Australia Post has the exclusive (sole) right to deliver standard letters within Australia. This means no private company can set up a competing letter delivery service — unless they charge at least 4 times the standard stamp price (which effectively prices them out of everyday letter delivery). Other exceptions exist for:
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Direct links to the current provisions in Australian Postal Corporation Act 1989.
Zoe has indexed the source text for search and analysis. Use the official register for the original document and download formats.
View on official registerSourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
Australia Post must provide a letter service at a single, uniform price (one price for a stamp regardless of where in Australia you send it). It must be reasonably accessible to all Australians, including those in remote areas. This is called the "community service obligation" — essentially, Australia Post can't just focus on profitable cities and ignore the bush.
Australia Post must try to operate like a proper business (make a profit, pay dividends to the government) while also fulfilling its public obligations. The government can direct Australia Post in the public interest, but if those directions cost money, Australia Post can be reimbursed.
The Minister (relevant federal politician) can reject proposed stamp price increases within 30 days. Prices must reflect changes in the cost of living (Consumer Price Index).
Australia Post employees who handle your mail cannot share information about your mail or your personal details with others — it's a criminal offence punishable by up to 2 years in prison. Exceptions apply for warrants, court orders, law enforcement (police, ASIO, Australian Border Force, the Tax Office), anti-money laundering authorities, and biosecurity officials.
You can't buy stamps at a discount from authorised sellers — they must be sold at the standard retail price. This prevents bulk-buying and reselling of stamps at a profit.
You generally cannot sue Australia Post for losing or damaging your ordinary mail — unless they gave you a receipt (e.g., registered post). This is why registered post matters if your item is valuable.
Australia Post pays dividends (a share of profits) to the Australian Government, which owns it. The government can also direct how much capital Australia Post holds.