In today's fast-paced world, even large organisations can find themselves facing public scrutiny for actions that impact everyday citizens.

A recent event involving a delivery driver highlighted the importance of adhering to regulations designed to protect vulnerable members of society.

When companies fail to follow these rules, the consequences can serve as a stark reminder of the need for accountability and respect for community standards.

Australia Post has found itself at the centre of a controversy that has left many Australians shaking their heads in disbelief.

In a move that has been widely criticised, an affiliate delivery driver for StarTrack, a subsidiary of Australia Post, was caught parking in a disabled spot while making deliveries in Melbourne.

Australia Post received a fine after an affiliate delivery driver parked in a disabled spot in Melbourne. Credit: Facebook

This incident, which occurred on Hunting Tower Road in Armadale last Tuesday, June 18, was captured in a social media post, which has since been deleted.

The post showed the StarTrack truck parked over the lines of a disabled parking space, directly in front of a clearly marked sign.

The image quickly drew the public's ire, and the local council issued an infringement notice to the driver for the illegal parking.

Australia Post, which has owned StarTrack since 2012 after acquiring full ownership from Qantas, was quick to respond to the backlash.

‘Australia Post sincerely apologises for the lapse in judgement shown by the driver and have reminded team members of our strict protocols around accessibility parking,’ a spokesperson stated.

‘We recognise and respect that accessible parking bays must be kept available for the people who need them.’

‘Our Posties and drivers comply immediately with any direct requests from local authorities, and there is no circumstance in which we would pay a fine as an alternative to moving a vehicle,’ they added.

The company specialises in parcel, freight, and logistics services, providing deliveries both across the nation and internationally.

This recent incident involving Australia Post follows another similar controversy from last year.

In that case, an Australia Post employee faced significant backlash for blocking a disabled parking spot, sparking widespread criticism and calls for greater accountability.

Both incidents highlight the ongoing issues and public concern over the misuse of designated disabled parking spaces by those who should know better.

Key Takeaways

• Australia Post was issued a fine for one of its affiliate delivery drivers parking in a disabled spot in Melbourne.
• A social media post, which has since been deleted, showed the StarTrack truck parked illegally on Hunting Tower Road in Armadale.
• Australia Post owns StarTrack and apologised for the incident, describing it as a ‘lapse in judgement’.
• The company reaffirmed its commitment to accessible parking and reminded its team of protocols, stating that it respects the need to keep these bays available for those who need them.

Have you or someone you know been affected by the misuse of disabled parking spots? How should companies handle such situations to ensure they don't happen again? Let us know your experiences and insights in the comments below.

 

[Lisa]

I hope the person who took this photo feels really good about themselves NOW!! Posted it on social media feeling like a hero hope your halo slips and trips you up...I understand it was a disabled spot but the van would not have been there more than 10 minutes to make a delivery, I hope the person who caused this domino affect never needs a delivery Australia Post!!

 

[pascoevale]

Driver overdid really try driving arrogance more like it why isn’t the driver held accountable stop making excuses it clearly says disability parking why sugar coat it the driver clearly knows what he is doing

 

[pascoevale]

I hope the person who took this photo feels really good about themselves NOW!! Posted it on social media feeling like a hero hope your halo slips and trips you up...I understand it was a disabled spot but the van would not have been there more than 10 minutes to make a delivery, I hope the person who caused this domino affect never needs a delivery Australia Post!!

So you say it’s ok but if you needed that spot being disabled yourself it’s ok for truck driver to park there so you can go down the road a struggle back so anyone can do it in your eyes it happens all the time

 

[Cheezil]

Those criticizing should try doing this employees job!
Time pressure from employers is very real & common these days! No doubt customers would complain if the delivery was late but if employers/companies didn't put employees/drivers in this position to begin with (for stuff all pay) it may have been a different story?

We dont know driver's side of the story, but they probably drove around for ages trying to find a suitable park for their oversize vehicle & had no other options left, no win situation for this poor driver it seems!

 

[ECassidy]

I hope the person who took this photo feels really good about themselves NOW!! Posted it on social media feeling like a hero hope your halo slips and trips you up...I understand it was a disabled spot but the van would not have been there more than 10 minutes to make a delivery, I hope the person who caused this domino affect never needs a delivery Australia Post!!

You would feel differently if you were wheellchair bound and needed that parking spot to be able to get out of your car.. It happens to me a lot sadly . He had no right to park there,even for 2 minutes....,.I see post delivery drivers parking in disabled spots as it is closest to the lift at our local shopping centre, even so 10 metres further there are empty parking spaces available.

 

[pascoevale]

Those criticizing should try doing this employees job!
Time pressure from employers is very real & common these days! No doubt customers would complain if the delivery was late but if employers/companies didn't put employees/drivers in this position to begin with (for stuff all pay) it may have been a different story?

We dont know driver's side of the story, but they probably drove around for ages trying to find a suitable park for their oversize vehicle & had no other options left, no win situation for this poor driver it seems!

So that justifies it Would have been interesting to know how long the truck was parked there for put yourself in a disabled person’s shoes you have to park way up the road. No parking spots and hobble back would you feel the truck driver is justified

 

[Keverall]

When i was working as a delivery driver I was threatened by a Parking Attendant for stopping on the end of a Disabled Parking spot. But they weren't concerned at all about all the Cars illegally parked on the Loading Zone across the road. I was not hindering anyone from getting on the Disabled Parking spot, and new that perhaps I should not have been there, but I as a Parking Officer was near by I thought they might give me a little bit of leniency. As for the Startrack vehicle of course he should have been fined, as well as Australia Post, and The Manager who would have expected The Driver to get the job done as quickly as possible legally or illegally.

 

[pascoevale]

You would feel differently if you were wheellchair bound and needed that parking spot to be able to get out of your car.. It happens to me a lot sadly . He had no right to park there,even for 2 minutes....,.I see post delivery drivers parking in disabled spots as it is closest to the lift at our local shopping centre, even so 10 metres further there are empty parking spaces available.

Totally agree with you there disability spaces for a reason

 

[mylittletibbies]

Those criticizing should try doing this employees job!
Time pressure from employers is very real & common these days! No doubt customers would complain if the delivery was late but if employers/companies didn't put employees/drivers in this position to begin with (for stuff all pay) it may have been a different story?

We dont know driver's side of the story, but they probably drove around for ages trying to find a suitable park for their oversize vehicle & had no other options left, no win situation for this poor driver it seems!

Excuses, excuses.
What driver's side of the story, he's parked in a disability parking bay just like all the other entitled morons who do the same thing.
Disabled parking bays are for disabled people, not brain dead ones.
No excuse!!

 

[Catherines]

I hope the person who took this photo feels really good about themselves NOW!! Posted it on social media feeling like a hero hope your halo slips and trips you up...I understand it was a disabled spot but the van would not have been there more than 10 minutes to make a delivery, I hope the person who caused this domino affect never needs a delivery Australia Post!!

I don’t believe what you are saying, Lisa, is a valid excuse for what the delivery driver did. HE WAS DEFINITELY IN THE WRONG. God forbid you may need a spot like that in your future. You will be so angry that an able-bodied person has made you struggle to get to where you want to go without having to squeeze between cars or manoeuvre a wheelchair for metres. The delivery driver was in the wrong, most definitely and it does not matter if he only needed it for two minutes - IT WAS WRONG!

 

[Veggiepatch]

Those criticizing should try doing this employees job!
Time pressure from employers is very real & common these days! No doubt customers would complain if the delivery was late but if employers/companies didn't put employees/drivers in this position to begin with (for stuff all pay) it may have been a different story?

We dont know driver's side of the story, but they probably drove around for ages trying to find a suitable park for their oversize vehicle & had no other options left, no win situation for this poor driver it seems!

NO EXCUSE!!

 

[fittsy]

well, if you take notice of the drivers for auspost, they employ a mixed nationality of drivers, whom have migrated from some suspect countries. so what can anyone expect from this,it is now showing the disrespect usually shown from these drivers,

 

[Veggiepatch]

STRIKE 1 - The idiot is PARKED (term used VERY loosely) in a disabled parking zone.

STRIKE 2 - The idiot is parked at least 1.5 metres from the kerb. Local council regulations stipulate that vehicles must be parked "as close as possible" to the kerb. The idiot IS NOT parked in accordance with the law.

Who gives a flying f**k about time restraints, the customer wants their goods NOW or whatever feeble excuse? Does the same idiot make the same excuses when caught speeding?

 

[Veggiepatch]

well, if you take notice of the drivers for auspost, they employ a mixed nationality of drivers, whom have migrated from some suspect countries. so what can anyone expect from this,it is now showing the disrespect usually shown from these drivers,

AUSPOST - a division of INDIAN EXPRESS....

 

[Mark@Home]

To all those LOMBARDIC NIMBY's: The delivery drivers know they have a legal duty to deliver the King's mail! MOST disabled people have not had a commonsense-ectomy, HAVE they?

THINK before you complain!

 

[Glenyce60]

I hope the person who took this photo feels really good about themselves NOW!! Posted it on social media feeling like a hero hope your halo slips and trips you up...I understand it was a disabled spot but the van would not have been there more than 10 minutes to make a delivery, I hope the person who caused this domino affect never needs a delivery Australia Post!!

You are saying they have a right too park in a disabled spot because it was possibly for 10 mins. The answer my friend is NO IT IS NOT ALL RIGHT!!! Disabled people need those spots and it happens all to often if not vans but others that are not disabled. I have lost count of how many times someone has blocked a disabled spot or parked in one and not supposed to be parked there! STOP giving them excuses to be parked there!!! The person that took this photo has every right to have done so and I say good on them for placing it out there for people to see.

 

[Mark@Home]

You are saying they have a right too park in a disabled spot because it was possibly for 10 mins. The answer my friend is NO IT IS NOT ALL RIGHT!!! Disabled people need those spots and it happens all to often if not vans but others that are not disabled. I have lost count of how many times someone has blocked a disabled spot or parked in one and not supposed to be parked there! STOP giving them excuses to be parked there!!! The person that took this photo has every right to have done so and I say good on them for placing it out there for people to see.

NIMBYism at its ugliest. How do you expect packages larger than a post office bike to be delivered?

 

[Veggiepatch]

NIMBYism at its ugliest. How do you expect packages larger than a post office bike to be delivered?

By carrier albatross....

 

[Veggiepatch]

You are saying they have a right too park in a disabled spot because it was possibly for 10 mins. The answer my friend is NO IT IS NOT ALL RIGHT!!! Disabled people need those spots and it happens all to often if not vans but others that are not disabled. I have lost count of how many times someone has blocked a disabled spot or parked in one and not supposed to be parked there! STOP giving them excuses to be parked there!!! The person that took this photo has every right to have done so and I say good on them for placing it out there for people to see.

Have a go at these dickheads for inconveniencing those persons with a disability. I do.

Some years ago, a wannabe tough man, covered in tattoos, bald head and a overcompensating beard with his poxy female companion and equally poxy Rottweiler, was sitting in an orange VW Bug Convertible. You guessed it! In a disabled parking spot!

I walked up to the car, looked at the windscreen for a Disability Parking Authority and it wasn't there. Not a word was said but I motioned for the driver to move. He did.