1、Economic and social value of Australia Post in regional, rural and remote communities Australia Post 2020 Proposal title goes here | Section title goes here 03 Proposal title goes here | Section title goes here 04 Contents Executive summary 07 1 Introduction 13 2 What makes a thriving community in r

2、egional, rural and remote Australia? 17 2.1 Aspirations of regional, rural and remote communities 18 2.2 Understanding diversity between regional, rural and remote communities 20 2.3 Overview of drivers of regional viability and success 26 2.4 Australia Posts role in enabling thriving communities 28

3、 3 Australia Posts role supporting regional, rural and remote economies 31 3.1 Facilitating economic activity in local communities 32 3.2 Contribution to Gross Regional Product and employment 37 3.3 Additional economic value to regional, rural and remote consumers 41 4 Australia Posts social contrib

4、ution to regional, rural and remote communities 43 4.1 Accessing services in regional, rural and remote areas 44 4.2 Australia Post as a trusted organisation in local communities 47 4.3 The role of Australia Post in supporting vulnerable cohorts 48 4.4 Broadersocialroleofpostofficesinregional,rurala

5、ndremotecommunities52 5 Changingroleofpostofficesinregional,ruralandremotecommunities56 Appendices 59 Appendix A: Survey methodology 60 Appendix B: Economic contribution modelling methodology 63 Limitationofourwork67 Generaluserestriction67 Ourpeople68 Endnotes69 05 Economic and social value of Aust

6、ralia Post in regional, rural and remote communities Key findings Economic and social value of Australia Post in regional, rural and remote communities Postofficeactivity Australia Post has over 2,500 postofficesacrossRegional and Remote Australia 1/3rd of Australia Posts total financialtransactions

7、occur in Regional and Remote communities representing almost 27 million transactions in FY2019 Almost 40% of total parcel collections occur in Regional and Remote communities representing almost 36million parcels in FY2019 Australia Posts total economic footprint in Regional and Remote Australia was

8、 $806million in Gross Regional Product in FY2019 10,802full-time equivalent jobs were supported by Australia Posts Regional and Remote operations in FY2019 Total value of regional e-commerce was estimated to be $10.6billion in FY2019 Regional and Remote business owners visit thepostofficemore often

9、than others averaging 25 visits in a 6 month period Economic value Postoffices are the most present service provider in Regional and Remote Australia 96% of residents have a localpostoffice Australia Post is among the most trusted service providers in Regional and Remote communities (behind only the

10、 local doctor and police) Supporting vulnerable residents: people with disabilities consume post officeservices more frequently than average, and socially isolated individuals visit thepostoffice more often 92% of Regional and Remote residents believe Australia Post is important for equity of access

11、 to core services Almost one-third of Regional and Remote Australians believe the post officesrole as a service provider in local communities has increased in importance over thepastfiveyears Social value 06 Australia Post 07 Economic and social value of Australia Post in regional, rural and remote

12、communities Executive summary 08 Australia Post Communities in regional, rural and remote Australia play an important role in our economic and social fabric. Over 8 million Australians reside in these areas, and regional businesses account for around 40% of Australias economic output. These communit

13、ies and businesses span a diverse range of locations, demographics and industries. While community aspirations vary across different regional, rural and remote areas, they also have a lot in common. Access to core services such as education, health and government services is the most important: more

14、 than half (54%) of residents ranked this amongst the top three most important characteristics for their local community. Access to employment opportunities and having a supportive community culture were also identified as important features contributing to the liveability of regional, rural and rem

15、ote areas. Many residents believe their communities are succeeding on aspirations around support and connectivity: 72% of Regional and Remote Australians feel that their community includes a supportive network of people. However, there are other areas in which regional, rural and remote communities

16、are not achieving local aspirations particularly in relation to economic opportunities. Almost three-quarters of people stated that their community does not have sufficient employment for local residents, while around half of residents do not believe that their local area had experienced significant

17、 economic growth in the past five years. Various studies have analysed the health of regional communities, measuring their economic, social and environmental outcomes. In general, areas outside of cities tend to experience lower income levels, less diverse job opportunities and poorer health outcome

18、s. Some of the more attractive features of regional, rural and remote communities include lower traffic congestion, greater natural amenity and more social connections. Even so, it is important to recognise that nationwide averages mask many layers of complexity and difference between individual reg

19、ional towns and communities. Three factors are particularly important for creating thriving regional, rural and remote communities. Sustaining and increasing the local resident population in these areas drives broader development. The size and diversity of employment and economic opportunities is al

20、so an important factor. And liveability in local communities is further enhanced through greater service availability, increased local amenity and improved infrastructure. An important institution in enabling thriving regional communities is Australia Post. It has a significant physical presence ove

21、r 2,500 post offices across Regional and Remote Australia. Australia Post delivers economic and social value to these areas through the provision of services, with one-third of its total financial transactions and almost 40% of its total parcel collections occurring in Regional and Remote communitie

22、s. The value of providing services to these areas is much higher than the prices charged and revenue earned by Australia Post, as evidenced by the large consumer surplus associated with the use of these services, particularly in Remote areas (due to the lack of alternatives). In this context, Austra

23、lia Post has commissioned Deloitte Access Economics to develop a deeper understanding of the economic and social value associated with its activities in regional, rural and remote Australia. Economic value in regional, rural and remote communities The economic opportunities created by Australia Post

24、s operations in regional communities are diverse and significant (Figure i). Through its delivery network, Australia Post enables residents in Regional and Remote areas to make e-commerce purchases, with almost 36 million parcels collected in regional post offices and hubs in FY2019. Approximately h

25、alf of regional Australians make an online purchase requiring delivery at least once a month, and the total value of e-commerce in regional areas is estimated to be over $10 billion in FY2019. Australia Posts national delivery network is an important part of ensuring a high quality end-to-end online

26、 customer experience (as illustrated in Box 3.1 of this report, in the example of Tasmanian small business Bulk Nutrients, a regional small business serving consumers in other regional areas). 09 Economic and social value of Australia Post in regional, rural and remote communities Figure i: Summary

27、of Australia Posts facilitated activity in regional economies Source: Deloitte Access Economics and Australia Post data Facilitated economic activity in regional communities 25 is the average of number of times in the past 6 months thatregionalbusinessownersvisitedthepostoffice 10 more visits than t

28、he average for other residents Local business activity 1.6 million identityverificationscompletedatregional,ruraland remotepostofficesinFY2019 Identity services 26.8 million banking and bill pay transactions in regional, rural andremotepostofficesinFY2019 Financial transactions Equivalent to 4 finan

29、cialtransactionsperadultinregionalareas $10.6 billion online purchases in regional, remote and rural Australia 35.9million parcelscollectedatregionalpostoffices/Australia Post sites in FY2019 E-commerce 900postoffices in regional, rural and remote Australia support in-conjunction businesses In-conju

30、nctionbusinesses Over 1/3rd ofallregionalpostofficesrepresented 10 Australia Post Figure ii: Summary of Australia Posts social contribution to regional communities Social contribution in regional communities 74% ofresidentsidentifytheirlocalpostofficesasmakinga broader social contribution beyond sel

31、ling products and services Broader social role People with disabilities are more likely than average to use postal services Sociallyisolatedindividualsvisitthepostofficemore frequently than others Intheeventofapostofficeclosure,morepeople(67%) are concerned about vulnerable residents access to servi

32、cesthantheirownaccess(56%) Supporting vulnerable residents 96% ofpeoplehavealocalpostofficeMostpresentservice provider in regional, rural and remote Australia 92% of regional residents believe Australia Post is important for equity of access to core services Regional Australians value Australia Post

33、s services highly enoughthattheywouldpaybetween21and45%above the actual price charged Presence and accessibility Consumer value Amongst the most trusted service providers in regional communities Trusted by the community 92% of regional residents believe Australia Post is trusted to provide independe

34、nt and accurate advice Source: Deloitte Access Economics 11 Economic and social value of Australia Post in regional, rural and remote communities Regional and Remote post offices also facilitate broader business activity, undertaking almost 27 million financial transactions and 1.6 million identity

35、verifications in FY2019. These services enable individuals to pay businesses and each other, and to engage with other services in the economy. In addition, the post office network also facilitates the everyday activities of local businesses in regional communities, with business owners found to visi

36、t the post office significantly more often than other regional residents at an average of 25 visits in the past 6 months (compared with 15 visits for other residents). Australia Post has a sizeable economic footprint through its own operations and purchases in regional, rural and remote communities.

37、 Its total economic contribution in Regional and Remote Australia was $806 million in Gross Regional Product and 10,802 full-time equivalent jobs in FY2019.1 A spectrum of economic activity across regional industries is supported by Australia Posts supply chains not only in postal services but also

38、in transport, professional services and real estate. Moreover, the organisations substantial local operations in regional, rural and remote communities means that it is able to support economic activity in Indigenous communities, both as an employer and as a procurer of supplies and services. Social

39、 value in regional, rural and remote communities The significant social value associated with Australia Posts regional, rural and remote activities stems from its provision of accessible services to the local community and the post office networks substantial physical presence in these areas (Figure

40、 ii). Post offices are the most present service provider in these communities, and 96% of Regional and Remote Australians state that they have a local post office greater than the presence of other core services like schools, doctors, police and banks. There are relatively limited alternatives for s

41、ervice provision in Regional and Remote Australia, and Australia Post is among the most trusted service providers in local communities (behind only the local doctor and the local police). Moreover, Australia Posts national network also means it can facilitate the delivery of services by other organi

42、sations: for example, the State Library of South Australia emphasised the importance of this network in enabling the movement of library books between regional communities. In regional, rural and remote communities, there is a strong perception that the post office network makes an important social

43、contribution in supporting vulnerable groups. When asked about the potential impacts of a post office closure, 67% of Regional and Remote Australians state that vulnerable community members would no longer have access to the services they require higher than the share of residents who were concerned

44、 about their own access to services. Consistent with this perception, socially isolated individuals visited the post office more often than others (18 times in the past 6 months, compared to 15 visitations for non- socially isolated), and people with disabilities consume post office services more fr

45、equently than average. The National Disability Services group stated that people with disabilities are more likely to use traditional post office services such as sending mail and paying bills over the counter, and there can be limited alternatives to the local post office in regional and remote are

46、as. Despite the increasing prevalence of digital technology in our daily lives, post offices continue to make a valued contribution to local communities across regional, rural and remote Australia. Almost one-third of residents believe the post offices role as a provider of services to local communi

47、ties has increased in importance over the past five years, and 27% state that its role as a trusted organisation has increased in importance in this period. Overall, this suggests that Australia Post continues to provide important economic and social infrastructure to regional, rural and remote comm

48、unities and its services are likely to continue to remain relevant in the future. 12 Australia Post Proposal title goes here | Section title goes here 13 Introduction 1 14 Australia Post Regional, rural and remote communities across Australia are a significant part of the countrys economic and socia

49、l fabric. According to the Regional Australia Institute, regional businesses account for around 40% of Australias economic output and employ around one-third of Australias workforce.2 Regional Australia provides vital agricultural, resource and manufacturing products to the nation, as well as making a significant contribution to Australian exports. An important enabler of regional, rural and remote community development is the physical presence of local businesses the banks, supermarkets, post offices and retail stores that deliver essential