On 31/03/2022, Australia Post (AP) introduced a change to Australia Post Business customers.

When AP machines process parcels, they verify that parcel measurements and weight provided by their customers are accurate. If there is a discrepancy in measurements and/or weight, and customer should have paid a higher fee, AP update the postage costs for affected items. Business customers get notified via email and on the AP Business website that they have underpaid postage. Customers then have to pay the difference within 28 days.

Unfortunately, AP machines do not always scan and identify both weight and dimensions accurately, even though AP claims that these machines are up to the mark. This can happen for example when a parcel piggy-backs another one. As a result, customers find themselves in difficult and stressful situations as AP basically forces them to either pay more than they have to or to confront AP with whatever evidence customers can produce for AP to revert their underpaid postage claims.

When customers choose the latter, they oftentimes end up arguing with AP support staff who don't want to believe their customers and who simply refuse to revert unjustified claims. Customers can then bring this to the attention of the ombudsman who will then assess the case oftentimes in favour of the customer.

AP do not provide any evidence for their claims, e.g. there are no photos or statements from staff that justify their demands.

What AP doing is simply wrong. AP are aware that their system isn't fit for purpose and that therefore it shouldn't be used to generate automated claims. AP makes a lot of money by overcharging customers who either aren't aware that they didn't do anything wrong, or who simply can't or don't want to challenge AP for multiple reasons.

In addition, AP makes it very difficult to dispute those claims. For example, when you are on their website where you can pay for underpaid postage, there is no "Dispute" or "Contact us" button. Customers then have to find different ways to contact AP support. It seems as if AP want to make it difficult on purpose for customers to dispute underpaid postage claims.

The combination of both AP knowing that their machines aren't accurate, that customers cannot easily dispute claims, that customers are oftentimes not being believed even when they provide evidence, and that AP acts against the presumption of innocence makes me come to the conclusion that AP is willingly harassing their customers in order to gain more profit.

With this petition I demand that the following is to be actioned on immediately:

• stop making underpaid postage claims that are solely based on the output of machines that aren't fit for purpose (what AP is currently using)
• remove all currently existing underpaid postage claims
• activate all Business Accounts that were frozen or suspended solely because of underpaid postage claims
• refund all business customers the amount they paid since 31/03/2022 for underpaid postage as a result of mentioned inaccurate machines
• AP to apologise to all business customers in writing for having used a system that isn't working to claim for underpaid postage
• AP to publicly apologize in a press conference for having used a system that isn't working to claim for underpaid postage
• for future underpaid postage claims, AP will provide evidence to customers so that presumption of innocence is the basis for any future claims
• AP to introduce a button "Dispute" next to "Pay" on their website where customers can pay for alleged underpaid postage 

What this petition is not: this petition is not saying that it is OK to not pay the correct fare or to cheat the system. Everyone has to make sure that they pay the correct price and that they are truthful in their declaration for whatever they are sending. If AP can provide evidence that a declaration wasn't truthful or incorrect, AP should be able to take appropriate action. However, this requires AP to have a system that works reliably and that is fit for purpose.

I have started this petition as a small business owner who repeatedly received claims from AP about unjustified underpaid postage claims. I am still waiting for the outcome from my last claim, and it is stressful and annoying that truthful customers have to deal with this.

When I wrote about my experience on facebook groups where other AP business customers are present, it became apparent that many other people are affected, frustrated and angered.

I hope that AP take the appropriate action, and that this issue is getting widely noticed.

I thank everyone who supports this petition wholeheartedly, and I believe that together we can make this change happen!