Text for general use

The text below is provided for use by organisations that wish to inform their members about the PIO scheme through their newsletters or other publications. It may be copied and pasted as a whole or in part.

The postal and courier industries now have an Ombudsman

The Postal Industry Ombudsman (PIO) is a new scheme to investigate complaints about postal and courier operators. The scheme commenced operation on 6 October 2006.

The PIO is another role for the Commonwealth Ombudsman, Prof. John McMillan. The Commonwealth Ombudsman already investigates complaints about Australia Post, and the new legislation expands this function to include other postal and courier companies who join the PIO scheme.

Organisations including courier companies such as FedEx and several mailing houses have voluntarily joined the scheme. This number will grow as the scheme matures. A list of current members is available on the PIO website at www.pio.gov.au.

The PIO investigates complaints about ‘postal or similar services’ provided by members of the scheme. A ‘postal or similar service' is defined as a packet or parcel carrying service, which accepts a mail item, package or parcel for the purpose of delivery at a cost, to a specified addressee. It also includes the security, allocation, transport or the retention for collection of that item.

Complaints to the PIO are investigated by the staff of the Commonwealth Ombudsman. The Commonwealth Ombudsman has been assisting the Australian community and fostering good government administration since 1977. The Ombudsman and his staff are committed to independence, impartiality, integrity, accessibility, professionalism and teamwork. The PIO aims to resolve complaints as quickly and informally as possible, focusing on a practical solution that is acceptable to both parties.

The Commonwealth Ombudsman can still investigate complaints about Australia Post that are not about postal issues.

The PIO does not normally investigate complaints about unaddressed advertising material (‘junk mail’). The PIO cannot investigate complaints:

• about actions of postal operators who are not members of the PIO scheme
• from one postal operator against another
• about employment of staff by a postal operator
• about actions that happened before 6 October 2006.

Complaints to the PIO can be made on the toll free number 1300 362 072, by email to pio@ombudsman.gov.au, by mail to the Postal Industry Ombudsman, GPO Box 442, Canberra or by visiting any of the Commonwealth Ombudsman offices located in all capital cities.