By Kelly Yates
Australia Post outlet at the Parkhill Plaza Shopping Centre in Berwick. 48949
Picture: Donna Oates
AFTER just over a week, 700 people have signed a petition calling for an Australia Post outlet at the Parkhill Plaza Shopping Centre in Berwick
Michelle Frazer, the Liberal Candidate for Narre Warren North, has put the petition together with Berwick traders, saying there was a need for the post office in the shopping complex, at the corner of Parkhill Drive and Ernst Wanke Road.
“Community shopping centres need to cater for everyone’s daily needs,” she said.
“People are quite desperate for a post office here. At the moment there’s nowhere for the residents to send and receive parcels or pay their bills.”
Ms Frazer said the Parkhill Plaza Shopping Centre was a “very busy” shopping complex.
“Sometimes people can’t even get a car park there. The area has just grown over the past four or five years and getting a post office is something the community feels very strongly about,” she said.
Ms Frazer said despite there being no shop vacancy for a post office at the moment, the newsagency, chemist and video shop had all offered to make room for it.
Trish Mernica, who owns Parkhill Berwick News and Lotto, said she often had customers asking where the Australia Post store was.
“Just about every day, we have two or three people asking for it,” she said.
Ms Mernica said she would be happy for the Australia Post outlet to be set up in the newsagency.
“I’m currently having a look to see what I can do to try and push the cause. I’m hoping to send an application off to Australia Post,” she said.
La Trobe MP Jason Wood has also sent out a survey to residents in the Timbarra and Oatlands estates on the issue.
Mr Wood received an “overwhelming positive response” in relation to the post office, saying he had previously written to both Australia Post and the Federal Government asking for an outlet to be provided at the plaza.
“I have also delivered speeches in Parliament relaying the call of some my constituents for a new postal outlet,” he said.
“The issue has not been resolved.”
Mr Wood said if the majority of residents believed there was a strong case for an Australia Post outlet, he would seek a meeting with the CEO of Australia Post to personally put forward the case.
Berwick resident Terry Hornbuckle agreed a post office was needed at the “busy little shopping centre.”
Mr Hornbuckle, who has lived in the area for four years, raised the issue with Mr Wood a few years ago.
“But Australia Post kept knocking it back,” he said.
“They said the main issue was that it was halfway between Fountain Gate and Berwick Village. I’m hoping the petition will change their minds.”
An Australia Post spokeswoman said Australia Post hadn’t received any formal requests from residents regarding a second post office in the area.
“There are currently five post offices within a five kilometre radius of Parkhill Plaza. We will continue to closely monitor the use of postal facilities in Berwick, but at this point in time we don’t believe that an additional post office would be sustainable.”
The five post offices closest to Parkhill Plaza are Fountain Gate Post Office, Berwick Post Office, Narre Warren Post Office, Harkaway Post Office and Narre Warren North Post Office.
To sign the petition in support of a post office, visit the Parkhill Plaza Shopping Centre or call La Trobe MP Jason Wood on 9762 4066.
