Individual letterboxes to go?

New Zealand Post could eventually stop delivering mail to individual letterboxes. Photo: Mathyas Kurmann / Unsplash.

New Zealand Post could eventually stop delivering mail to individual letterboxes and instead require clusters of boxes under proposed changes, and the Postal Workers Union is not happy.

The government was consulting on changing the deed of understanding it has with NZ Post.

Among the changes were reducing the minimum delivery frequency, and allowing NZ Post to deliver to cluster or community boxes for new addresses.

Postal Worker's Union president John Maynard told Morning Report the suggestion to stop delivering to individual home letterboxes was "sort of hidden away in the document".

"That impacts every single person, eventually, about New Zealand Post saying they'd rather deliver to clusters or counters, or letterbox nests, but not to your household."

Maynard said the proposal was to gradually stop delivering to existing letterboxes.

"They're not going to take your letter box, they just don't want to put anything in it."

It was important for people to be able to have their say, he said.

"Putting the letterboxes in clusters makes it easier for the company to sack all the posties and have the delivered by vans which wouldn't have to stop at your house, they'd put your mail at the end of the street."

Maynard wanted the consultation time frame to be extended and the details clarified.

RNZ listeners respond

Jim said his letter box gets a lot of use thanks to local real estate agents.

Many rural areas already had cluster mailboxes, Liz said.

"Who knows people may actually talk to each other while they're collecting their mail. A beneficial spin off," she said.

"Granted fewer items are being posted. However, it is a contract with the New Zealand public. The suggested change would have a considerable impact on the disabled, elderly and others who cannot readily travel," Penelope said.

Sam was worried about the children: "Don't take away that moment of joy when a child gets a birthday card from a grandparent or overseas relative, arrive in the letterbox!"

Consultation underway

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (Mbie) was consulting on five proposed changes:

  • Reducing minimum delivery frequency in urban areas to two days a week and in rural areas to three days per week.
  • Reducing the minimum number of postal outlets from 880 to 500, and possibly down to 400 over time.
  • Allowing NZ Post to extend its network by delivering to cluster and community boxes for new addresses.
  • Allowing NZ Post to convert existing delivery points into communal points at a rate of up to 5 percent per year.
  • Reducing the time until the next review to three years, from five.

NZ Post declined an interview on Morning Report.

Mbie and NZ Post have been approached for comment.

-RNZ

2 comments

Absolutely Revolting

Posted on 05-11-2024 08:07 | By Yadick

Cluster boxes are absolutely revolting. A real eyesore.


Wider implications

Posted on 05-11-2024 09:54 | By rogue

There's a bunch of reasons this will harm the community.
If we don't have individual letterboxes how will anyone be able to identify a specific address?
I work for an emergency service , we kind of rely on finding exact addresses quickly. Imagine an Ambulance at 3 in the morning unable to find a home with dying people inside, a fire truck unable to find a small fire at a property before it escalates to what is easily seen, a place car taking too long to find a house during a home invasion.
Alternatively, the Pizza delivery guy unable to get your hot Pizza to you.


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