The postman (used to) always knock twice

It may be a trick of my memory but I think that we used to have a twice daily postal service when I was a child. I think we also had a Saturday morning service but I'm less sure that is correct. All that was a long time ago.

For many decades now the service has been one delivery on weekdays. That still was a reasonable enough service especially for mail within metropolitan city areas of Australia where the delivery was pretty well within 24 hours.

Although I am not engaged in business nor an avid letter writer for the most part I have been receiving mail daily. Most of that mail was unsolicited; from my membership of social clubs, movie clubs,  travel companies I have used, my bank and credit card providers, charities I donated to, and the various bill issuers. The flow of mail continued notwithstanding that personal postal correspondence in this digital, internet age has fallen away sharply.

And then on 4 January this year, the cost of a regular stamp increased from seventy cents to one dollar.

One might think that the price increase would enable an improvement in service or the maintenance of an existing level of service. But, no, the promised service is actually diminished. Instead of the virtually guaranteed 24 hour turnaround previously this almost 50% price increase only guarantees delivery within six business days.

If you want speedier delivery then you have to pay 50% surcharge on top of the new regular price for delivery within four business days.

I guess what goes unstated is that daily (weekdays) postal delivery to residences is now cut; perhaps to twice or even just once a week.

That might explain why for the first time in as long as I can recall I did not receive a single item of mail this week.

How much longer will there be a Government operated postal service?