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.

 

[Chays]

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 have been a disabled person who could not use car spaces because of company vehicles doing this. It is not an acceptable use of parking for any length of time. I came across a work vehicle that had an NBN piece of paper in the window (subcontractor not actual NBN) and they were parked in the disabled car park out the front of the post office that I wanted to visit. I had to park a block away and walk to the post office with my parcels. The contractor was still there when I left the P/O. I took their photo also, but I didn't put it on social media, I took it to the police station.

 

[Chays]

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

By parking in a space that does not affect the disabled. Do you realise that they cannot walk the distances that others can? That is why they get a sticker giving them the right to use those spaces. If only the self-entitled idiots would keep out of them, we might have somewhere to park when we go out to get groceries or other necessities.

 

[gordon1940]

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.

Well done Veggie!

 

[Veggiepatch]

Well done Veggie!

I am a very strong and proud advocate for persons with a disability, that's why!

 

[margaretritchie48]

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

Try getting aa wheelchair between two cars in an ordinary bay. Does not work.

 

[BlackWolf]

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!!

NO F way. What I'm supposed to do wait 10 mins or longer for them to move when it illegal and how are you going to know they be gone in ? time, you can't hold up traffic in case. Don't think so. Or drive elsewhere and try to walk to where I need to be. Obviously, you don't have a disability, or you know better.

 

[Macarj]

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!

There is no drivers side he parked illegally

 

[Rob44]

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!

When I did Xmas jobs for the UK's Royal Mail I used my then racing bike with panniers to carry small parcels and did two deliveries a day. Now Australia's postal service always delivers the neighbours mail and parcels to our front door. Can't they see where we and our neighbour live on Google maps?

 

[Rob44]

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.

So at least he had good manners and took notice of you. He could have set his female companion on you!

 

[Veggiepatch]

So at least he had good manners and took notice of you. He could have set his female companion on you!

Probably had a worse bite than the Rottweiler....

 

[pascoevale]

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!

What kings bloody mail he was a StarTrack delivery they dont deliver mail in a truck hopefully the bright sparks complain how bad of the driver is and how entitled they are to park where they like will incov you when / if you one day need a disability parking spot yourself and theirs a truck parked there to do a delivery and you have to get back in a wheel chair to where you want to go

 

[Mark@Home]

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.

KAREN!

 

[Mark@Home]

What kings bloody mail he was a StarTrack delivery they dont deliver mail in a truck hopefully the bright sparks complain how bad of the driver is and how entitled they are to park where they like will incov you when / if you one day need a disability parking spot yourself and theirs a truck parked there to do a delivery and you have to get back in a wheel chair to where you want to go

Would you like a box of punctuation marks for Christmas?

 

[mylittletibbies]

Would you like a box of punctuation marks for Christmas?

Meow! lol.

 

[Mark@Home]

Meow! lol.

I wouls have accepted Meow! Lol.

 

[Mark@Home]

I would have accepted Meow! Lol.

 

[mylittletibbies]

I wouls have accepted Meow! Lol.

Fair enough. Lol.

 

[Lisa]

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.

FYI I have been there and for 15 minutes would it have made that much difference, secondly the idiot posted on social media but wouldn't ask the driver??

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!

The whole point is WHY DID THIS IDIOT need to post on social media instead of actually asking the driver to move and FYI I HAVE NEEDED A DISABLED CAR SPACE so I'd appreciate you NOT ASSUMING IN FUTURE!!

 

[Lisa]

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.

Fyl lets hope YOU NEVER NEED A DELIVERY! That is the most ridiculous statement ever! It would have been 10.minutes at most and you can stick your holier than thou attitude where the sun NEVER SHINES!

 

[Lisa]

By parking in a space that does not affect the disabled. Do you realise that they cannot walk the distances that others can? That is why they get a sticker giving them the right to use those spaces. If only the self-entitled idiots would keep out of them, we might have somewhere to park when we go out to get groceries or other necessities.

You do realise it would have been for approx 15 minutes? Not hours! Seriously yes I have needed a disabled park but for gods sake understand some parcels are bigger...15 minutes was not going to make a lot of difference in the big scheme of things was it???