Postal call postponed

By Jade Lawton
BERWICK Village Chamber of Commerce is mounting a campaign to extend the Berwick Post Office’s opening hours to Saturday mornings, with president Harry Hutchinson describing the lack of weekend hours as an “insult”.
The Berwick Post Office is open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, while post offices in both Beaconsfield and Narre Warren open for three hours on Saturday mornings, and the Fountain Gate Post Office is open until 1pm.
Post office services in Harkaway, run through the General Store, are available on both Saturday and Sunday.
“We think it is an insult that our post office is closed on a Saturday. Berwick Village is a major business district and it is time they came in line with the 21st century,” Mr Hutchinson said.
“We would like the post office to be open on a Saturday morning – we are not after all day, but we feel that by being closed they are sending customers off to Narre Warren and Beaconsfield,” he said.
Mr Hutchinson said the post office, at 17 High Street, was so busy during the week that he would allow about 45 minutes for staff members to walk up the road and queue for service.
Edrington Ward Councillor Simon Curtis said he was in support of the post office extending its hours.
“I think that it’s very difficult for people who work, especially 9-5 Monday to Friday, to get to the post office,” Cr Curtis said.
“I know longer hours were trialled last Christmas, but there is such high demand, especially at the end of the day. Often, you can go down there at the end of the day and the queues are way out the door.”
But Australia Post communications manager for Victoria and Tasmania, Nadine Lyford, said the area was well serviced with four post offices within a four- kilometre radius that opened their doors on Saturdays.
“Australia Post regularly reviews its operations, particularly in developing areas, such as Berwick. At this point it would be unsustainable for the Berwick Post Office to open on Saturday mornings. ”
During December last year the post office traded on the three Saturdays prior to Christmas, and customer numbers were well below expectations,” she said.
“The post office made a few changes last year that has improved the service for customers, with additional staff and a dedicated parcel hatch for customers collecting parcels or items that require a signature.”
Ms Lyford said post office box customers who needed to collect parcels could do so from 6.30am through the parcel hatch, while other customers who could not visit the Berwick Post Office during business hours could contact Australia Post to have the parcel transferred to another office.
Mr Hutchinson, who said he planned to contact Australia Post about opening on Saturdays, said the trial was too short, with not everyone aware of the extended hours.
“They did a trial over Christmas for a few weeks; that’s ridiculous. A trial should be 12 months, it takes time,” he said.