Editing Australia Post (section)

== Operational development ==
[[File:Australia Post boxes.jpg|thumb|left|Express (yellow) and normal (red) street [[post box|posting boxes]] in 2005]]
[[File:Australia Post Mail Sorting Centre.jpg|thumb|right|[[Riverina]] Mail sorting centre in [[Wagga Wagga]], [[New South Wales]]]]
[[File:Pingelly Post Office, October 2020 01.jpg|thumb|A rural post office in [[Pingelly, Western Australia]]]]
Responding to competitive pressures, Australia Post continued to broaden its product and service range in 2019, having invested in extensive technology-based infrastructure programmes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.itnews.com.au/news/australia-post-completes-data-centre-overhaul-401182|title=Australia Post completes data centre overhaul|website=iTnews|access-date=2019-04-03}}</ref> It operates in three core areas: letters and associated services; retail [[merchandising|merchandise]] and agency services; and parcels and logistics. It has a number of subsidiaries and joint ventures, including Sai Cheng Logistics International—a joint-venture logistics company<ref>[https://auspost.com.au/business/shipping/international-shipping/logistics-in-china Logistics in China]. Official website</ref> established with China Post in 2005.

Australia Post operates regular mail delivery as well as an express/courier service through Messenger Post (Now trading as Startrack Courier).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://businessacumen.biz/index.php/18-news/in-brief/597-messenger-post-couriers-re-brand-as-startrack-courier.html|title=Messenger Post couriers re-brand as StarTrack Courier|date=23 June 2014 |publisher=businessacumen.biz|access-date=29 October 2017}}</ref>

Australia Post is self-funding and uses its assets and resources to generate profits, which can be reinvested in the business or returned as dividends to its sole shareholder, the [[Government of Australia|Australian Government]]. Under its community service obligations, Australia Post is committed to providing an accessible, affordable and reliable letter service for all Australians wherever they reside. The corporation reaches more than 10 million Australian addresses; operates 4,330 postal outlets;<ref>[https://auspost.com.au/content/dam/auspost_corp/media/documents/2020-australia-post-annual-report.pdf Annual Report 2020] Australia Post</ref> and serves more than a million customers in postal outlets every business day. When the basic domestic letter rate was increased to $1.00 on 4 January 2016,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://auspost.com.au/parcels-mail/pricing-updates.html|title=Pricing Updates|publisher=auspost.com.au|access-date=24 April 2016}}</ref> there were no changes to prices of concession stamps or seasonal greeting stamps, which remained at 60 cents and 65 cents respectively. At the same time, a category of "Priority" mail was introduced (as distinct from "Regular"), under which delivery standards were varied and a 50-cent Priority label was required as additional payment for the better standard.<ref name=2016update/>

Under the Australian Postal Corporation Act 1989, letters up to 250 grams are reserved to Australia Post – other people and businesses can only carry them if they charge four times the basic postage rate. All of the other goods and services provided by Australia Post are sold in fully competitive markets and, in 2005–06, nearly 90 per cent of the corporation's profit (from ordinary activities before net interest and tax) came from selling products and services in competitive markets.