I am seeking a listing of all the New Zealand Post Office post-shops, post-counters, postal services in retail outlets that face customers for the period of 30 April 2018 to 30 April 2023, and their locations. This request is to determine how many rural post office services are being withdrawn, amalgmated, downsized, reducing the provision of services at a time when the central government has provided $130m of tax payer funds (2020-2023) to the Post Office and the Post Office has declared a most recent half-yearly profit of $115million.

The problem is an undisclosed reduction in the provision of postal services. This request is to determine how many rural post office services are being withdrawn, amalgmated, downsized, reducing the provision of services at a time when the central government has provided $130m of tax payer funds (2020-2023) to the Post Office and the Post Office has declared a most recent half-yearly profit of $115million. Post Offices are being closed all over the country with no public awareness, consultation, no consideration of climate change effects (of customers having to drive extensive journeys to get service), and also of the unintended consequences on urban congestion through congregation of population where there are adequate provision of services.

Making it transparent as to how many post service providers have been closed up, amalgamated, reduced in service provision and where they are located. The Post Office is still, I believe, a public service, funded by the tax-payer. Yet, having just witnessed yet another rural community post office closed up without any public consultation, without any justification provided, it is important for the public to know just what is happening with the estate of post offices in this country. The same can be said for the closure, amalgamation, withdrawal reduction of health services. Absent knowledge of how many post offices have been closed and the number that are in rural versus urban communities, it is impossible to hold the Post Office Leadership of Mr. David Walsh, CEO, Mr. Bryan Dobson, Chief Customer Officer, and Mr. Brandon Main, Chief Operations Officer accountable. The Minister responsible for the Post Office will simply shirk responsibility and accountability, passing it to these three gentlemen.