In just one short week, more than 1,000 Australians have said ‘Yes’ to Keep Me Posted! Keep Me Posted flyers have been circulated in every Australia Post retail outlet across the country providing the opportunity for Australians to send back their support for the campaign. The response is unanimous, Australians want to be kept posted.
From across all states, Reply Paid postcards are being returned to the Keep Me Posted office to pledge support for the campaign and the consumer’s right to choose paper communications, free of charge.
“The response to the pamphlet is overwhelming,” commented Kellie Northwood, Executive Director, Keep Me Posted. “Thanks to the partnership, we are reaching out to those Australians who are on the wrong side of the digital divide and heavily rely on postal communications in their daily lives. They are the most vulnerable Australians who deserve their voice to be heard and they shouldn’t be penalised for preferring paper communications over digital ones.”
The flyers delivers information on paper billing and statement fees and provides consumers with tips about what they can do to challenge them. It also aims to garner support for the campaign with a Reply Paid postcard that supporters can return to the campaign’s office.
“Analysis of the first wave of responses shows that Australians are largely concerned about internet fraud (75%) and want to keep paper records (89%). Above all, a massive 88% say they support the campaign on a social justice level,” said Northwood.
While some businesses like Optus, Foxtel, AGL and NAB, among others, are increasing the pressure on their customers to switch them to digital communications only, the Parliament of Australia is making progress towards more consumer protection.
“With Choice revealing in their Internet service provider satisfaction survey 2017 that 62% of Australians have experienced internet issues in the last 6 months, guaranteeing free access to paper communications for all Australian consumers is critical,” said Northwood.
In the last few weeks, a motion asking the Government to bring consumer protection against fees on paper communications was moved in the lower House by Tim Hammond MP, Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs and the motion then passed the Senate with a clear majority. On 19th June, Andrew Wilkie MP tabled a Private Member’s Bill to amend the Australian Consumer Law. Also, the Minister for Consumer Affairs, the Hon. Michael McCormack MP McCormack, has asked the Treasury to look into the issue.
“In the lead up to the Governance and Legislative Forum on Consumer Affairs which will review the Australian Consumer Law, the support we are seeing from federal Members of Parliament is very encouraging, however we need Australians to send their message loud and clear to both Government and their service providers,” concluded Northwood.
Keep Me Posted is inviting every Australian supporting the consumer’s right to choose to write to their State and Federal Member of Parliament, especially the Minsters for Consumer Affairs, to let them know that it is an issue that matters to them.