Member for Nanango, Deb Frecklington, has congratulated Federal Maranoa MP, David Littlerpoud who, after nearly a decade-long community fight, has secured a new postcode for Blackbutt, answering the region’s calls for Australia Post to finally recognise that South Burnett and Ipswich – 130km away – have nothing in common.
“In a postcode quirk the Blackbutt region – perched atop of the Great Diving Range – shared the same 4306 postcode as near Ipswich, a city on the fringe of Brisbane, resulting in detrimental outcomes for this rural area but today we’ve secured a new four-digit identity for this South Burnett region,” Mr Littleproud said.
“I’ve had many discussions with Australia Post on this issue affecting the Blackbutt region and, in a massive win for this community, today they’ve advised me it will change the area’s postcode from 4306 to 4314.
“When I was elected in September last year, one of the first phone calls I received as the new Maranoa MP was from Blackbutt residents who’d been campaigning for years for a new postcode and today I’m proud to deliver them a win.
“Australia Post has advised me it will notify residents, before the year’s out, of the postcode change and – it has assured me – the community will have ample time to prepare accordingly.”
The new 4314 postcode will be effective from February 1, 2018 however Australia Post will continue to recognise and deliver mail addressed to 4306 until June 30, 2019.
The rural Blackbutt region and the Ipswich area are two separate localities but share the same 4306 postcode, along with about 56 other areas. As Ipswich-Amberley 4306 is described as a metropolitan region and the South Burnett is rural, this postcode resulted in a diverse and significant range of detrimental outcomes for the Blackbutt region.
“For Australia Post, the issue is all about mail delivery efficiency and I’m glad we’ve persuaded Australia Post to finally give this South Burnett gem a new mailing identity,” Mr Littleproud said.
“I’ve been in constant contact with the community on this and mail delivery delays were definitely an issue but Blackbutt was often tarred with metropolitan woes in relation to crime data – used to calculate insurance premiums.
“South Burnett producers often employ backpackers as an important part of their seasonal workforce but in another 4306 consequence, this region wasn’t recognised as rural.
“As part of the working holiday visa, backpackers can extend their visa by working on a rural farm but when farmers tried to extend the backpackers’ visa to continue working on their property, they experienced difficulties because 4306 is recognised as a metropolitan code, not rural.”
“Quite frankly, this inequity was a joke and I’m glad Australia Post has listened to this community and we’ve been successful in getting this region’s postcode changed.”
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