Matt Burnell MP, Playford Council join war against Australia Post after indefinite delivery pause at Virginia Post Office

Post deliveries have abruptly halted in a growing suburb, deepening a years-long postal nightmare as AusPost digs in its heels – and residents are demanding change.

Virginia residents Will Shrubsole, 39, and Andrew Williams, 24, at the Virginia Post Office. Picture: Russell Millard

A federal MP and one of the state’s biggest councils are at war with Australia Post over its decision to pause delivery of letters and parcels to a post office in Adelaide’s north.

Australia Post last month told Virginia residents they would need to travel to the Burton Post Office – almost 10km away – to receive their mail because deliveries were, for the time being, no longer being made.

Virginia relies heavily on its post office because mail is not delivered directly to homes in the area – a long-running frustration for many residents, who say Australia Post has used a flawed poll to justify the policy, despite the suburb growing large enough for direct deliveries.

A notice about the delivery changes at the Virginia Post Office. Picture: Russell Millard

Residents who pay a yearly fee for a post office box can receive parcels and letters – but no more boxes are available.

An Australia Post spokeswoman said the “temporary mail-collection measures for local residents” followed “some urgent and challenging circumstances affecting the Virginia licensed post office”.

“Australia Post is closely monitoring population growth in this area with relation to the delivery of postal services,” she said.

Residents of nearby Riverlea, who also rely on the Virginia Post Office, have been told they must now collect mail at the post office at Two Wells – about 14km away.

Labor member for Spence Matt Burnell said the situation was “nothing short of farcical”.

Virginia resident Weky Nisnona was lucky enough to score one of the post office’s in-demand PO boxes. Picture: Russell Millard

“We have Australia’s leading communications organisation providing unclear, mixed messages to the community,” said Mr Burnell, who has also written to Australia Post’s chief executive officer, Paul Graham.

“Well, the residents of Virginia and Riverlea and I have a very clear message for Australia Post: Stop fooling around and start delivering mail to the homes of local residents.

“I have spoken to residents that have their mail redirected as far as Marion due to the mess created by Australia Post. In the end, Australia Post will have to start delivering to homes, they need to stop delaying the inevitable and get on their bikes”.

The Virginia Post Office. Picture: Russell Millard

Mr Burnell said 92 per cent of those residents who had responded to a poll were in favour of home mail deliveries, but Australia Post had counted it as a majority “no” vote because of its policy of treating unanswered responses as “no” votes.

Playford Council has joined the chorus of angry voices, also sending a letter of protest to Mr Graham, requesting he reinstate local collections and start mail deliveries.

Among the many residents affected by the pause in deliveries is Will Shrubsole, 39.

His wife uses their car during the day for work, so he is unable to travel to the Burton Post Office to collect mail.

“Virginia’s growing – there’s no reason for it to still be like a country bumpkin town that doesn’t even have door-to-door mail,” he said.

“You’ve got a lot of families moving here, you’ve got schools down the road – there should be mail.”

Carol Renna, 75, said: “We feel like we’re in a Third World country – it’s ridiculous.”

Several residents said that even when Virginia Post Office was accepting letters and parcels, there were frequent mix-ups because it had failed to keep pace with the suburb’s growth.

Originally published as Matt Burnell MP, Playford Council join war against Australia Post after indefinite delivery pause at Virginia Post Office