[AMA] I Am a Frequent OzBargain Poster, Work for Australia Post at The Airport

Hi all,

I'm currently employed by Australia Post as a Freight Handler at an Australian airport. Additionally, I regularly strive to share worthwhile deals with all of us here. I prioritize sharing deals that could be valuable to those of us with unique preferences, rather than solely chasing votes. I've never been swayed by meaningless internet points, as they don't significantly impact one's career prospects, unless, of course, Scotty happens to be the one doing the hiring.

So ask away, I'll try to be honest and as open as I can be, without ruining my job as I love what I do!

Please note though: that I am not authorised to speak on behalf of Australia Post and that my views are not reflective
of Australia Post's views.

Related Stores

Australia Post
Australia Post

closed Comments

  • +3

    Was it you who took this package of mine?
    https://i.imgur.com/TefD1FP.jpg

    • +2

      No, but whenever someone orders something from a naughty store, we can tell exactly which one it is despite their “discrete” packaging.

      • +1

        Is that because ❤️🍯 always have the same return address?

        • Yep ;)

      • That’s why they need continuous packaging, so you can’t peer through it

  • Do you like working there?

    • +1

      Yep. Love it. Seeing all the different types of planes is the best bit.

  • What’s the career progression like ? Or are you more or less already at end of line?

    Do you need a fitness test?

    Do you get brutally punished if you don’t hit processing kpi?

    • +1

      Career progression is great in my area, but only within the area, not going up into corporate. That’s hard.

      Do you need a fitness test?

      Well in the job description you have to be able to lift and move minimum 30kg repeatedly.

      Do you get brutally punished if you don’t hit processing kpi?

      Bit different working at the airport, as long as what we’re given (which I can’t disclose) is met, then everyone is happy. If we don’t meet them, because say a plane is delayed, then not our fault.

      • +2

        I'd be worried about that minimum 30kg … esp if in job description.
        from memory … typically anything 18kg-20kg +++ above is "meant to be a 2 person lift".

        We actually have it written in our job description not to lift anything more than 18kg repetitively on your own.

        I also work within freight industry + deal with said packages that ppl order online on a daily basis … but NOT Aus Post … more like a secondary/side company.

        • +1

          It’s more 30kg in shifting the ULDs onto and from the lifts and conveyers from the planes onto the trailers.

          • +2

            @HamBoi69: I'd really like to see a written copy of your job description stating this in black&white (with all personal info redacted) … As it REALLY REALLY opens Aus Post upto potential litigation.

            No matter whether - lifting / pulling / pushing … a certain weight will always cause issues.
            General OSH standards say roughly 16kg for a female, 25kg for a male … then to add to that, doing task constantly/repetitively == argh.

            so your 30kg == way outside these general guidelines.
            Hence why I find it hard that Aus Post would actually have it written in their job description.

            To give you an idea … roughly 2-3 years ago, we had the safety team come into our area. They weighed every item that we moved + height that we had to place items/etc.

            In terms of litigation again - highly doubt Aus Post would leave themselves open like that.
            EG. a legal case with WW … a pick packer moving 15kg weights (1/2 of your suggested weight).

            • -1

              @simplystu: There is no maximum or recommended weight in OHS standards. It depends on what is being lifted, where, how etc.

            • @simplystu: How does those super human delivery/moving man who can lift extra heavy washing machines, fridges and sofa on their own work if such limit is imposed? I mean I have seen not just once openly in public.

  • -1

    How do I get a job shooting birds at the airport

    • You’d be working on the FOD department. And that’s not through us.

  • +1

    Why do my express post parcel take 2-3 days now when they used to be overnight? Did Australia post just give up trying?

    • +1

      Why do my express post parcel take 2-3 days now when they used to be overnight?

      That would've been back when we had the Express Post Guarantee in place, which due to "covid" has been "temporarily" suspended. Also volume has gone up quite substantially.

      Did Australia post just give up trying?

      Rest assured we aren't sitting down twiddling our thumbs…

      • -4

        Please note though: that I am not authorised to speak on behalf of Australia Post and that my views are not reflective
        of Australia Post's views

        Rest assured we aren't sitting down twiddling our thumbs…

        • +2

          I was referring to myself and my team. In my role.

      • +6

        It’s been a very long “temporary” suspension

    • Hi Stringbean,

      I don't work at Australia Post but as some random I can answer the obvious:

      Why do my express post parcel take 2-3 days now when they used to be overnight?

      Because we make more money that way.

      Did Australia post just give up trying?

      lol

  • Why can Amazon Japan ship faster than Australia Post Sydney to Perth?

    • +3

      Because Amazon Logistics. I don't need to say much more.

      Well, also 3900km. With limited trucks. And express parcels taking priority.

      • +2

        Limited trucks is a factor within Australia Post’s control. That is simply an excuse.

      • How much standard freight crosses the country via air vs road? Guessing not much since Aliexpress is usually quicker to receive in Perth these days than anything from the east, despite last mile by Auspost. My last one, 3 days from leaving there. 1 day flight, 2 days for Auspost to get it to me from the airport.
        Auspost from east never within 5 days now, so then have to wait the weekend as well. Averages about 8 days inc weekend.

  • +15

    Not a question, but a ‘thank you’ for everything that you do for us here. You’ve helped me (and many others, I am sure) save a lot of money. 😊

    • +4

      Thanks. It goes a long way and means a lot.

      • It goes a long way

        Be careful about leaving too many identifying features on here, in case it piques management’s interest. Bragging is perfectly acceptable, though, and in the spirit of OzBargain

        • +1

          Yeah I know. Hence I haven’t said a lot as to what I could. I was referring “a long way” as in, in moral boosting.

          • +1

            @HamBoi69: Not many people have morals these days. Keep it up!

            • +1

              @tharlow: I’d +1 but can’t, so accept this. :)

  • Why was there a huge drop off in service after Christine Holgate left?

    • Not noticeable, no.

      • OK, must just be me then. :)

        • If anything it’s increased because of online shopping.

  • +2

    How many more years until you get you Cartier watch?

    • +2

      Soon I hope.

    • You have to get millions and millions from the banksters to get one of those.

  • What is your record distance for one parcel?

    • +7

      Great question. London - Melbourne - Austria - London - Melbourne - Austria then finally back to Melbourne. All because the systems saw AUS and didn’t know where to send it. It was only after the receiver put in an email that they hadn’t got the parcel yet and noticed its strange route. Moral of the story, always put the full address on the parcel. Oh and the length of the journey was 8 months.

      • Wow! More interesting than your best hurling distance :-)

        • Wouldn’t dare hurl around a freight container. Could damage a plane. In terms of parcels, I don’t hurl, specifically because I know it can lead to potential breakage, and would I want someone doing that to my parcels? No. I can slide parcels but only to the length of the chute. So about 5 m.

  • how long do you guys have to wait to open the unclaimed packages, and what is the best loot you have received from one of them? and is there a way for public to bid on or buy unclaimed packages too ?

    • +3

      Unclaimed? As in from the post office? If no one has collect it after like the 3rd reminder, it gets returned to sender. No one gets to keep it. Nothing. No bidding or buying.

      • oh, that sucks, I thought there might be a storage wars situation.
        I have had parcels that never made it and never got sent back to sender, thought there might be some lucky person out there who got my missing stuff.

        • I was speaking in terms of a “best case” scenario. The process I outlined above is what happens in 99% of cases. But in the instances when someone doesn’t have a return to sender address, then we may auction them.

          • -5

            @HamBoi69: Thanks for repeating what the links I posted said.

            • +2

              @deme: Your welcome. I was making it clear to you that I do work for Australia Post.

      • What about those items where there is no sender address + sometimes the label has peeled off altogether ??? Whereby it sits there - in "no man's land" - sometimes for 9-12 months.

        At some stage … someone has to make a decision.
        Some items sitting there older than 12 months - we have been told by upper management just to "bin it" … but have heard about some ppl taking said items home (but that is essentially theft == lose job).

        We have heaps of cameras at our place (including some sneaky/hidden cameras - that only a few ppl know about).

        so for the most part, it would be hard to take something home (saying that though, we have had some $5000+ items go walkabout in last 12 months).

        • we have been told by upper management just to "bin it"

          Yep. That's the standard process and what we do. Although it should be said that I don't work in that area, being at the airport.

  • -1

    Frequent OzBargain Poster, Work for Australia Post

    How many of these deals are posted on work time?

    • None. I work at strange times.

  • What kind of salary are you on? Are you able to afford a house in Sydney?
    It's crazy that most people who actually work and live here are struggling to own a home :(

  • -1

    I get the impression you get to see a range of different types of parcels. I assume many of the overseas stuff just go to Sydney Gateway Facility?

Login or Join to leave a comment