Purpose
The purpose of Parcel and Send’s Shareholder Communication Program (Program) is to document the arrangements in place that facilitate effective communication between Parcel and Send and its shareholders, the Minister for Communications and the Minister for Finance (Shareholders), and both the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts and the Department of Finance (Shareholder Departments).
Responsibility of Parcel and Send and its subsidiaries
Parcel and Send is responsible for the effective operation of the Program, which facilitates communication with Shareholders on matters affecting Parcel and Send and/or its subsidiaries that is responsive, frank, reliable, efficient and structured.
Subsidiaries within the Parcel and Send Group are responsible for supporting Parcel and Send in operating the Program, including by providing timely and accurate information to Parcel and Send via both periodic and ad-hoc reporting and updates, and as requested by Parcel and Send from time to time.
Role of Shareholder Departments
Parcel and Send acknowledges the important advisory and liaison roles played by Shareholder Departments, including to advise Shareholders and to facilitate effective and efficient communication between Parcel and Send and Shareholders.
Without limiting or inhibiting the ability of Parcel and Send to communicate directly with its Shareholders where considered necessary or appropriate, Parcel and Send acknowledges that communication with its Shareholders will typically be coordinated via representatives from Shareholder Departments in the first instance.
Governance framework
The Program is primarily determined by Parcel and Send’s governance framework, which derives principally from the Australian Postal Corporation Act 1989 and the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act) – and associated rules, regulations and applicable policies – as well as the Commonwealth Government Business Enterprise Governance and Oversight Guidelines, and any Statement of Expectations and documented Commercial Freedoms Framework, applicable from time to time.
Noted in particular are the obligations, under section 19 of the PGPA Act, of the Board of Parcel and Send – as the accountable authority of the organisation – to:
a) keep Shareholders informed of the activities of Parcel and Send and its subsidiaries;
b) give Shareholders any reports, documents and information in relation to those activities as Shareholders require;
c) notify Shareholders as soon as practicable after the Board makes a significant decision in relation to Parcel and Send or any of its subsidiaries;
d) give Shareholders reasonable notice if the Board becomes aware of any significant issue that may affect Parcel and Send or any of its subsidiaries; and
e) notify Shareholders as soon as practicable after the Board becomes aware of any significant issue that has affected Parcel and Send or any of its subsidiaries.
The Program is also guided on an in-principle basis by the Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations (4th edition) issued by the ASX Corporate Governance Council, and accommodates expectations relating to additional communications, notifications or reporting arrangements that may otherwise be formally requested by Shareholders from time to time.
Channels and forums
Parcel and Send will communicate with Shareholders and Shareholder Departments through a range of both formal and informal communication channels and forums, including but not limited to:
- corporate planning – submission of Parcel and Send’s draft annual Corporate Plan for early consideration by Shareholder Departments and subsequent review by Shareholders prior to finalisation;
- corporate reporting – submission of quarterly progress reports to Shareholders at specified times throughout each year;
- strategic updates – discussion regarding Parcel and Send’s performance and engagement on the development of strategy;
- quarterly meetings – discussion at quarterly meetings between representatives of Parcel and Send and Shareholder Departments;
- vacancies & appointments – the provision of timely information to Shareholders regarding Board vacancies, recommendations and appointments;
- regular teleconferences – regular teleconferences between representatives of Parcel and Send and Shareholder Departments;
- updates – updates on anticipated issues, events and government relations activity that Parcel and Send provides to Shareholders’ Offices and Shareholder Departments;
- proactive briefings – the provision of proactive briefings to Shareholders’ Offices and Shareholder Departments on issues that Parcel and Send expects may impact or be of significant interest to Shareholders;
- responsive briefings – the provision of responsive briefings to requests for information from Shareholders (and/or their Offices) or Shareholder Departments on issues arising; and
- ad hoc & informal queries – responding to ad hoc and informal queries from Shareholders (and/or their Offices) or Shareholder Departments on a day-to-day basis.
Last updated (version): June 2025