Policy and legislation

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The department advises the Australian Government on how the policy and legislative framework of the postal industry in Australia can best meet its social and economic objectives.

The postal market in Australia is largely deregulated. All industry players, including Australia Post, must comply with the broad Australian regulatory environment (such as the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 and state and territory fair trading laws). Apart from the Australian Postal Corporation Act 1989 (APC Act), there is little in the way of legislation specific to postal services.

Under the APC Act, Australia Post has three general obligations:

• to perform its functions as far as possible consistent with sound commercial practice (Australia Post operates under a corporate model with its board and management responsible for its day-to-day running)
• to carry out the terms of its Community Service Obligations (CSO)
• to perform its functions consistent with general policies of the Australian Government, comply with any directions issued by the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and comply with Australia's obligations under international conventions.

The APC Act also provides that Australia Post must comply with Record Keeping Rules issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The ACCC uses this information to monitor Australian Post for evidence that it is using its non-reserved (competitive) services to cross-subsidise its reserved (monopoly) services. This ensures that Australia Post operates on a level playing field with other industry participants in areas open to full competition.

Australia Post is a wholly-owned Government Business Enterprise (GBE) with the Australian Government as the sole shareholder. This responsibility is shared jointly by the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and the Minister for Finance and Deregulation.

Like other GBEs, Australia Post is also subject to the particular requirements of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 as well as the Commonwealth Government Enterprise Governance and Oversight Guidelines.

See more information on the Australia Post website.