LNP pollie’s Christmas cards found dumped in retirement village rubbish bin
A LNP MP has accused an Australia Post worker of dumping a pile of Christmas cards sent to constituents in a retirement village rubbish bin.
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An Australia Post postie has been accused of dumping Christmas cards sent by a Liberal National Party politician after a pile of cards was found in the rubbish at a Bribie Island retirement village this week.
Longman MP Terry Young sent Christmas cards featuring artwork designed by pupils from the Moreton Bay region to residents living in his electorate.
Mr Young’s spokesman, Glenn McKewen, told the Courier Mail on Thursday a retirement village resident noticed a pile of cards dumped in a rubbish bin in the village and alerted the Caboolture office of the Member of Parliament.
McKewen declined to name the retirement community where the cards were found.
Mr Young then shared a photograph of the dumped cards and paid for a sponsored ad on Facebook, pondering if an Australia Post employee either disliked him or his political affiliation after the cards were found dumped, and asked residents to re-send their addresses.
“Obviously the Christmas Spirit isn’t with everyone this year! I sent every household in Longman a Christmas card from me with a 2023 calendar,” Mr Young wrote in the post.
“Unfortunately one of the posties doesn’t like the LNP or me or both and has delivered a whole batch to a wheelie bin.
“If you haven’t received my card please let me know so I can get one delivered to you and we can ask for a refund on the postage,” he wrote.
“Pretty ordinary putting politics before Christmas I reckon….”
Mr McKewen said the electorate office received messages from about 70 residents from different suburbs who saw the Facebook ad, claiming their Christmas card did not arrive.
The Courier-Mail understands the letters were unaddressed and left in a central location on the mailboxes.
Mr Young said he was disappointed the student artwork would not be seen by all parents and guardians.
“We hoped that the kids and their parents (or) guardians had the chance to see and appreciate their efforts, sadly in some circumstances this was not the case,” he said.
“We are used to seeing this type of behaviour during election campaigns when our mailouts are either delayed or not delivered at all, but a Christmas card with drawings by local schoolchildren – seriously?”
The MP said compensation would be sought from Australia Post and that he would re-send some cards.
“I am having my office print and distribute extra cards to those who have notified us they haven’t received one,” he said.
An Australia Post spokeswoman sent a statement to The Courier-Mail on Thursday afternoon.
“We unreservedly apologise for this incident and have reached out to Mr Terry Young MP,” the statement said.
“We take seriously our responsibility to deliver mail and parcels in our care, with the vast majority of items delivered safely, and these actions are not in line with the high service standards we expect.”
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