[LINK] Australia Post to lose passport services

[Stephen Loosley]

---- On Thu, 07 Apr 2016 11:59:45 +1000 Hamish Moffatt wrote ---- 

> On 07/04/16 11:03, David Boxall wrote: 
>> On 7/04/2016 9:50 AM, Marghanita da Cruz wrote: 
>>> ... 
>>>> RURAL and remote Australians will be further disadvantaged when 
>>>> Australia Post's contract to process passport applications expires in 
>>>> June next year... 
>>
>> Wouldn't it be decent to hold off on such cost-cutting until everyone 
>> can use the alternative? As it stands, not everyone has equitable 
>> access. Not everyone who has access is capable of using it. 
>> 
>> Here we go again; repeating behaviour in the expectation of different 
>> outcomes. 
>> 
> Wouldn't rural and remote Australians actually be ADVANTAGED by this,
> by not having to travel to a Post outlet?  Hamish 


Having received my passport renewed for 10 years today, by registered
post, exactly three weeks to the day after having fronted to one of the
authorized post offices, I'd say the current system works efficiently and
well. For sure, it's not cheap at $254 for your standard passport, but it's
an easy and painless process that worked well for me. One completes the
PDF form at https://ppol.passports.gov.au/web/forms/entrypoint.aspx and
prints it off then makes an appointment at a post office for your photo and
an ID check. Then you pay and wait. Including the ten minute appointment
the complete bureaucratic renewal process took maybe 20 painless minutes. 
With a photo & ID verification I wouldn't know how it could be more efficient.

Cheers,
Stephen