Hi Lucy,
Thank you for your efforts this week to raise awareness of the proposed Gouger Street Post Office closure, through your letter and social media.
https://community.auspost.com.au/Adelaidebc
I realise that to some, the post office closure may not seem like a big deal – but to locals, the loss of this essential service within a convenient distance is significant. And with the city’s west being Adelaide’s biggest growth area, this loss won’t just affect existing residents – it will extend to the many people that will call this part of the city home in the future.
It’s not just a post office. It’s a destination we can walk to once a week to pay our bills, a place where we might chat with our neighbours, and somewhere small businesses can undertake everyday tasks. It’s an essential local service that provides many opportunities for people to connect with their community.
As I know you have personally experienced, city living is a choice we make that comes with trade-offs. We trade the convenience of having a car for the ability to walk to everyday services instead. This is a lifestyle that is particularly attractive to younger renters, recent migrants to Adelaide or older people who need care close to home. Many of these people cannot rely on travelling by car.
Removing the post office from our local circuit, with the closest alternatives being at least 1.7 km away, fails to recognise this reality. For many, a 1.7 km journey each way is a significant barrier, particularly if they have mobility limitations. Trips previously made on foot will likely convert to trips by car, exacerbating congestion on city roads – or these trips may no longer happen at all, increasing isolation.
It is very disappointing that Australia Post have made the decision to close the Gouger Street Post Office without due consideration of its impact on local residents and small businesses. Worse, there appears to have been very limited direct consultation with the broader local community. My understanding is that only PO Box holders were directly notified about the proposed closure.
Australia Post are asking for feedback about how to support people during this transition. I fail to see what measures could adequately replace the loss of an essential service within a convenient, walkable distance. I therefore firmly maintain that the Gouger Street Post Office should remain in the city’s west, either in its current location or another nearby.
I understand you intend to communicate community feedback back to Australia Post when consultation closes tomorrow. On behalf of the City West residential community, I thank you for your support.
I have also letterboxed a petition to local residents and businesses across Adelaide City’s West, which has received 73 signatures to date. I intend to submit this to Australia Post tomorrow at the close of the consultation period.
https://www.change.org/p/save-the-gouger-street-post-office
Thank you again for your efforts to raise awareness of this issue and advocate for our local community.
I would be happy to discuss further if of assistance.
Kind regards,
Cr Eleanor Freeman
Central Ward Councillor, City of Adelaide