Dumped postal vote scandal ‘deeply concerning’ but Labor hasn’t written to AusPost

Labor’s Jim Chalmers says a democracy scandal involving an postie dumping thousands of postal vote mailers in a wheelie bin is “completely unacceptable” – but his party hasn’t followed the LNP in demanding answers from Australia Post.

A democracy scandal involving an Australia Post postie dumping hundreds of postal vote mailers in a suburban Queensland wheelie bin is “completely unacceptable” and “deeply concerning” Labor’s Jim Chalmers has said.

But the federal opposition has not yet followed the Coalition in writing to Australia Post demanding answers as to what had occurred.

The postman was allegedly caught on camera dumping thousands of LNP postal vote mailers.

And Labor also hasn’t stated if it will carry the torch and ban political parties sending out mail of that nature – used partly to harvest voter information – should they take government.

It is alleged, based on video footage, that a postie in the Ipswich suburb of Redbank Plains dumped at least 500 LNP branded postal vote mailers into a household wheelie bin.

Annette Weller with Senator Paul Scarr and LNP candidate for Blair Sam Biggins with the dumped mailers.

The postie, later confronted by homeowner Annette Weller, denied his involvement but then attempted to bribe her $10 after being caught out by video footage.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham and Communications Minister Paul Fletcher on Friday night wrote to Australia Post seeking answers over the “new dimension of misconduct” amid fear the issue may be more widespread than just one rogue postie.

Labor Treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Mr Chalmers, speaking in his seat of Rankin as part of Labor’s Anthony Albanese-less campaign, said he was not aware of any union involvement in the postie’s actions.

“But I will say this what happened there was completely unacceptable, completely and utterly unacceptable,” he said.

“We need to know what’s happened here, we need to know that it won’t happen again.

“And we need to know that Australia Post is adequately resourced to deal with the extra pressure that comes at election time.”

The Australia Post postie was allegedly caught on camera dumping thousands of LNP postal vote applications into a homeowners bin in the marginal Queensland seat of Blair.

The Australian Federal Police on Friday confirmed it was investigating the matter.

As of Saturday afternoon police had not yet laid any charges.

Australia Post, in a statement, confirmed the postie in question had been suspended effective immediately amid an internal investigation.

Australia Post chief executive Paul Graham apologised “unreservedly” for the incident.

The postman was allegedly caught on camera dumping thousands of LNP postal vote mailers.