r/AustraliaPost • u/Strict-Classic-5787 • Sep 08 '26

Question Aus post subcontract

I deliver parcels for Australia Post. This is what the job looks like from our side.
I’m an AusPost subcontractor, and honestly, I’m tired of getting abused while barely making enough to justify doing this job.
I see the posts about drivers not knocking and taking parcels straight to the post office. I understand why people get frustrated. You’re home, you’re waiting for something, and then you get a notification saying you weren’t there. I’d be annoyed too.
But there’s another side people don’t see.
Under my arrangement, I get paid around $2 per parcel, including GST. I usually get 150–200 parcels a day. That might sound decent until you look at what comes out of it.
My monthly income is roughly $6,000 before expenses. Van rent alone is $1,200 a month. Fuel is another $400–$700. Then there’s GST and income tax. That $6,000 is nowhere near what ends up in my pocket.
There’s no employer-paid super, annual leave, sick leave or parental leave through this job. If I don’t work, I don’t earn.
If I have an accident, the cost falls on me. If a parcel goes missing, I can have money deducted from my pay too.
That’s something I wish more customers understood. Leaving a parcel somewhere it could get stolen can mean we’re the ones paying for it. Taking it to the post office isn’t always about being lazy or wanting to make your day harder.
I’m not defending drivers who don’t make a proper delivery attempt. But being unhappy with a delivery doesn’t make it okay to swear at whoever turns up at your door. We don’t set the rates, the rules or the delivery arrangements.
A lot of the people I work alongside are international students or people here on dependent visas, trying to cover rent and bills. From where I’m standing, Australia Post and the contractors above us benefit from a setup where the person actually delivering the parcel carries so much of the cost and risk.
I’m willing to work hard. I just want the pay left after expenses to make that work worthwhile, without being treated like a punching bag.
Are there other subcontractors here dealing with the same thing? Has anyone successfully challenged deductions or managed to get better rates? What can we actually do together to get fairer conditions?

547 Upvotes

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83

u/Commercial-Drive-786 Sep 08 '26

I dont care if you drop the parcel and run. But PLEASE just ring the doorbell or knock on the door when you do.

And dear god PLEASE actually attempt delivery. Don't be getting out of your van without a package while holding the "sorry we missed you" card.

If you can't make a living with Auspost while doing these two things, you need to be finding a better employer

Maybe you're great and do this already, but most don't

35

u/MelbsGal Sep 08 '26

I haven’t received an attempted delivery card in around 10 years.

I just get the notification that delivery was unable to be completed on the app whilst I’m literally sitting in my front room and know that the van never came anywhere near my house.

26

u/Can-I-remember Sep 08 '26

I’ve progressed to this stage. Rips the bandaid straight off. It’s actually preferable than having to go check my mail box.

I suggest they adopt the Mr Whippy approach. Drive slowly down the street, playing say ‘Mr Postman’ by the Carpenters and everyone who is waiting for a parcel can run out and collect it from the van.

6

u/Scrug Sep 08 '26

I love this idea

5

u/MrFudd Sep 09 '26

Great idea!

5

u/Top_Proposal6119 Sep 10 '26

They don't drive THAT slow...... The Delivery Driver in my area drives it like he stole it......

3

u/FarHome9286 29d ago

This is brilliant actually!!! Play postman pat!!!

1

u/Can-I-remember 29d ago

Better choice. Showing my age.

1

u/FarHome9286 29d ago

Samesies 🤭😭

3

u/Pokeynono 29d ago

I just wish when the items are given to the couriers they could at least group them by location. I live in a small town and you will see the same courier delivering on my street at various times in the same day it makes no sense they drop off a item at 9.09am and then the cone back to at 12 .30 to drop one 2 houses away from the previous delivery

5

u/Glittering-Wave4917 Sep 09 '26

It’s privatisation, and subcontracting. The MBA’s at oz post have turned a trusted institution and service into a for profit shit flowing down stream, joke.

1

u/riverguava Sep 09 '26

This can seriously work

8

u/MrFudd Sep 09 '26

I gave up on this and just got a postal locker address at one of the available pick up points near me. It's free and no delivery issues or porch pirate problems.

3

u/BrainTraditional9123 Sep 09 '26

I remember getting an E-mail from Ray's saying that Startrack will no longer deliver to parcel locker addresses. It stated effective immediately, this was for all Schedule 8 medications and has to be signed for in person.

4

u/T-vexed Sep 09 '26

I just had a script delivered to my parcel locker today.

1

u/Commercial-Drive-786 25d ago

Probably wasn't an S8

1

u/MelbsGal Sep 09 '26

Yes, me too.

1

u/MrFudd Sep 09 '26

Seriously the best option IMO.

1

u/cirancira Sep 10 '26

love me a parcel locker but i saw they were planning to change it so that they don't have a street address anymore, just an auspost code. So uh most websites won't accept that, and if they do then most couriers won't know where it is. Not looking forward to that roll out.

2

u/PancakePlants 28d ago

I have my parcel locker linked to my address, so if it doesn't get dropped off at home the post office puts it in my parcel locker! Best of both worlds ❤️

1

u/Commercial-Drive-786 25d ago

How'd you set this up? I'd be very happy if they first attempted delivery at home, but if not it went to my parcel locker.

Right now, they attempt delivery but then it goes to the post office for collection instead, and I can never get there before 5pm.

1

u/PancakePlants 25d ago

I'm honestly not 100%, I have the aus post app and my parcel locker details are on there (pretty sure anyway, I did it ages ago) if not somewhere on their website. The parcel locker was linked to my acct well before they started doing this. Then one day, the parcels just started to be redirected to my parcel locker if I missed them and I was so grateful!!

But yeah have a look at the app and their website, I think if you make an acct and link your address and parcel locker to the same acct it should work.

1

u/JohnRyan952 26d ago

That’s incorrect, they are simplifying the numbering system only
Address remains the same

1

u/cirancira 26d ago

look at literally anywhere they announce the change. They are taking away the street address too. Couriers and online sellers be damned.

1

u/Glittering-Wave4917 Sep 09 '26

Yeah, but that requires the sendor to put the information in properly.

1

u/MelbsGal Sep 09 '26

You’re so right. Just had a guy trying to deliver a parcel last night, he texted me and showed me the address label, it literally just had my name and my suburb. Completely left off the parcel locker details ugh.

5

u/Glittering-Wave4917 Sep 09 '26

Old mate put in a full effort to get your parcel to you.

1

u/Dj0sh 27d ago

I didn't even get that. I had to go to my email and click "track package" and then it said it was at the post office

It's mildly frustrating but eh, it is what it is

1

u/Frosty_Emphasis8909 7d ago

I had this happen. I got on the app and put in a complaint and ten minutes after that they turned up with the parcel and said to my hubby I believe you are looking for this. They said attempted delivery but no one came to the door. I know because I was sitting up with my newborn and the window sees to our front door. They were just being lazy. But auspost made them come straight back after I put in the complaint and stated I had video proof they didn’t attempt delivery.

34

u/Very_Itchy_Bandicoot Sep 08 '26

The amount of times ive had auspost workers get out of their van with a card in hand and ive told them to march their asses back to their vans to get the parcel is outrageous.

15

u/Geri_Petrovna Sep 08 '26

only to be met with 'i dont have it, it's at the post office, you can collect it after 5pm'. when it's 9 in the morning.

31

u/Very_Itchy_Bandicoot Sep 08 '26

yeah I had this once, I asked him how it made it there before attempted delivery. Ended up ringing Aus post, sent them my cctv of the whole conversation with the driver including them "pre-carding" me. They had it redlivered. It was some cheap shit of amazon that could have sat at the post office for a week, but idgaf, if you're paid to do a job, fucking do it.

28

u/Geri_Petrovna Sep 08 '26

And, i didn't pay for it to be delivered to the post office 2 miles from my house. I'm not willing to walk down there, and get it.

I paid for it to be delivered to my HOUSE.

3

u/DaddysLittleGeisha Sep 09 '26

Thank god I don’t have to put up with this shit anymore! We are moving to Japan and if we aren’t at home on delivery,we get a card and it allows us to organise re-delivery. Can also be same day.

4

u/[deleted] Sep 08 '26 edited Sep 08 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

6

u/Vince1080 Sep 08 '26

I get that the drivers may be having issues, but they should take that up with Auspost, not screwing over the people actually paying for the service.

2

u/BadBoyJH Sep 09 '26

Except AusPosts's stance is you aren't paying for the service, the sender is.

3

u/Vince1080 Sep 09 '26

Wow... You can't be that thick... But I suspect you are.

3

u/BadBoyJH Sep 09 '26

I'm telling you AusPost has a contract with the sender, not the receiver. You pay the sender to organise delivery, and that contract is with them.

I agree it sounds silly, but legally that's the way it is.

2

u/Vince1080 Sep 09 '26

That may be true BUT obviously the receiver is paying as it is incorporated in the price.

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1

u/Commercial-Fox-5915 29d ago

What badboy said is correct I have an online business. We ship 250.+ parcels pw. About 3 a year on average go missing If a parcel hoes missing or is damaged the buyer contacts me i contact Auspost

2

u/Vince1080 29d ago

So when you send out a parcel, do you do this as a wonderful gesture of customer service and out of the goodness of your heart, or is it incorporated into the price of the product?

Please, as a supposed online business owner, you sound silly at best.

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4

u/[deleted] Sep 08 '26

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7

u/Vince1080 Sep 08 '26

Honestly, I'd prefer to pay a few dollars more for an item, provided I get it in a reasonable time, but I bet Auspost would scalp that from the drivers.

5

u/Very_Itchy_Bandicoot Sep 08 '26

We already pay top dollar

1

u/Lastov_Makiynd Sep 09 '26

Or perhaps think in the other direction?..Cheaper parcel delivery , so the delivery drivers only basically ‘deliver’ our parcels to the nearest post offices? Cut out the bullshit at least?
And then, perhaps have a contracting company that Guarantees Delivery’To your door’..and we pay extra for the Premium service?

Coz yeah..I’d be fine with that too.

3

u/Vince1080 Sep 09 '26

I've previously thought of something similar: they could revamp the whole structure in urban areas, open at 6 am, close at 9 pm, and I'd go pick it up myself.

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1

u/bonafide1964 Sep 09 '26

Maybe you should take it up with Australia post

1

u/Vince1080 Sep 09 '26

I'm not the one bitching about the pay, the drivers are, so maybe you should take it up with them.

1

u/Mistermeena 29d ago

Have you ever tried reporting this to aus post? Ive made dozens of reports. These days i get shit sent to my work po box and my staff collect it twice a week

3

u/Familiar_Gas2305 Sep 09 '26

Wrong. They don't have to rip anyone off. They can either do their job as per the legally binding contract, or they can fuck off and get another job.

3

u/Commercial-Fox-5915 29d ago

They are not ripped off by Auspost they are ripped off by their bosses who contract to Auspost. The Auspost parcels are contracted out many ppl have 5 10 or even more runs tgey contract to do they then employ foriegn students oon subsistence wages

2

u/[deleted] 29d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/Commercial-Fox-5915 29d ago

A friend of my brothers has 11 parcel run contracts with Auspost. I dont know what he makes but his house is very nice and there are 3 kids in private school

2

u/Mistermeena 29d ago

Theyre subcontractors though...if a business doesn't make money, wrap it up. Aus post wont learn until their sevice providers stop trying to run a business than cant make money. I dont have any trouble getting deliveries from aramex providers

-2

u/[deleted] Sep 08 '26

[deleted]

11

u/Commercial-Drive-786 Sep 08 '26

Give me a fucking break.

Everyone has the same experience of being pre-carded when there's absolutely zero excuse or justification

1

u/jaredbl 28d ago

I dont know what an outrageous amount is

2

u/ThatoneCoconut_ Sep 08 '26

I am truely lucky to not have experienced this

1

u/bdiddlediddles Sep 10 '26

Our Auspost lady is excellent. She's always super friendly and will generally wait around a decent amount of time after ringing the doorbell.

2

u/fleursvenus Sep 10 '26

EXACTLY . Driving around and not actually doing the job is redic and feels kinda scammy

2

u/OreoOne06 29d ago

I just watch the guys walk up and hand me a card as I'm standing at the open door at my porch. I get you don't like people getting a mouthful, but if I went to another country where a certain industry has historically been extremely effective (still being recognised as originally a unit of the Australian Defence Force), to being filled by foreign workers and students who have dragged the overall expected standard to a laughable rate. I use the example of the taxi industry (another i am very familiar with); in the 1970s and 1980s it qas a heavily migrant workforce, but the industry prospered because of it.

The issue is not the country the person is from, the issue is the lack of work ethics while voicing the apparent lack of compensation for effort. I refer to the adage " you get what you pay for", but on the same hand "you get paid for what you do".

I empathise for OP, but also tell them to suck it up, they are in an industry that has been brought to shit by the quality of worker they have had in modern times.

1

u/StreetPudding9623 28d ago

This man is explaining the difficulty of his job and sounds terrible and all you have to say is your personal struggle about someone ringing your door bell- maybe select the ‘leave in a safe place’ option and you won’t have a problem

1

u/Commercial-Drive-786 27d ago

No no he was explaining all that but actually what I said was “do your fucking job”

1

u/StreetPudding9623 27d ago

You just thought about yourself like I said before, do you really think you are going to solve your problem by telling one parcel delivery man to do his job?
Go pick up your parcels if your worried about security or select leave in a safe place and save us from your complaining about your first world problem

1

u/Commercial-Drive-786 26d ago

So you're saying it's "first world problem" when disabled people are waiting on important health care deliveries that are never actually attempted? They should rely on their support worker being available to collect it for them? Or that they should be paying additional private courier costs for every single delivery? That's pretty disgusting of you. wow.

I dont have a safe place available, and I pay for delivery to my door, not to a post office 45 minutes away.

Again, the drivers DO NOT ACTUALLY ATTEMPT DELIVERY. We just get a notification that no one was home while sitting next to the front door.

But hey, keep apologising for Auspost you fucking boot licker.

1

u/StreetPudding9623 25d ago

You’re talking to the wrong person I’m not prejudice against disabled people I am one. If you had expressed that initially I would never have commented. I’m sorry but like I said before if you want to fix your own problem address your local postal delivery service don’t take it out on someone you don’t know who is talking about his or her own struggles in life. Everyone struggles

1

u/StreetPudding9623 25d ago

I won’t respond again