Stalking allegation against Australia Post employee raises alarms over safety and accountability
- Replies 9
In a troubling incident that has raised serious concerns about workplace safety and employee privacy, an employee at a prominent national service provider has been implicated in a stalking case.
This development has sparked discussions about the measures organisations must implement to protect their staff from harassment and ensure a safe working environment.
As authorities investigate the situation, the case highlights the need for greater awareness and action against workplace misconduct.
An Australia Post employee is accused of stalking a 64-year-old woman he met during his mail delivery route, leading police to seek a personal safety intervention order against him.
The 41-year-old man resigned after being confronted by the organisation, but the victim expressed her fear and believed that Australia Post's investigation into the incident was insufficient.
Bella*, a resident of a rural Victorian city living alone, received a 12-minute audio recording from the postal worker on a USB stick, detailing how he became familiar with her during his mail deliveries.
She stated that upon first listening to it, she was unaware of the sender's identity and was taken aback by his ‘sleazy and entitled’ tone.
‘I felt sick to my stomach. It was overwhelming,’ Bella* recalled.
‘I could only listen to the first few minutes before having to stop. It made my skin crawl.’
‘Initially, I didn’t know who it was or where it had come from, and the fear was in not even knowing what or who I was looking out for,’ she continued.
In the recording, the man details how he spotted her in town exiting a shop and shares his efforts to see her again.
He also mentions another woman he has been observing, claiming to know her address and stating that he purposely visited her workplace outside of his work hours to catch a glimpse of her.
He remarked, ‘We would have seen one another on and off for five years.’
When Guardian Australia reached out to the second woman, who was easily recognisable from the recording, neither Australia Post nor the police had contacted her.
She only learned that the man may have stalked her after being approached by the Guardian.
In the recording, the man describes his long-standing interest in Bella* and shares his feelings upon seeing her leave a shop.
‘I remember thinking something along the lines of “she looks in pretty good nick” or “a million bucks” or some kind of statement that was going on in my head,’ he said.
‘I was actually going to ask you if you were heading on a date and where you were taking me, but you know it always comes to you afterwards, you know.’
The man states that it was ‘not for a lack of trying’ that he hadn’t encountered her again, implying he had made multiple attempts to find her over six months.
He then shares that about six months later, he volunteered to assist his boss and specifically requested to cover the mail route that included her home.
After weeks of failed attempts to see her, he ultimately delivered the recording to her house, attached to an Australia Post postcard.
Following a complaint to Australia Post, the man resigned when faced with the possibility of an investigation.
Bella* also filed a police complaint, leading to a personal safety intervention order against him, which was granted in August.
She expressed that she had been living in fear for months and felt that Australia Post had ‘wiped their hands clean of this’ despite her complaints regarding their lack of support.
Additionally, she requested financial assistance to enhance her home security, but Australia Post denied her request.
‘It has been horrendous. I am a 64-year-old woman living alone. I can’t sleep,’ Bella* shared.
‘I am up half the night checking my windows and I have had my dogs sleeping with me.’
She then went on to say, ‘It is horrible. I am constantly worried about it, and they haven’t offered me any sense of security.’
‘Australia Post has a lot to answer for. This man has used organisational privilege to stalk women, and the organisation has to be responsible for him.’
‘They don’t seem to have any accountability for the fear this man has instilled and I am not going to stay silent for anyone else’s comfort,’ the 64-year-old added.
Correspondence between Bella* and Australia Post revealed that she expressed her safety concerns and sought assistance.
‘Regardless of the termination of your employee, I am still left with an uncertain situation and for me at my age I find the lack of support from [Australia Post] unnerving,’ a letter from Bella* in July read.
‘I do not feel safe in my home. It was the only space I had that I could find safety and now that has been taken from me.’
In response, Australia Post’s Executive General Manager for People and Culture, Sue Davies, stated, ‘I appreciate that this has been an upsetting and difficult experience for you.’
She mentioned that she examined the situation to ‘assess whether it has been handled appropriately’, noting that the man resigned promptly when confronted.
‘Having reviewed the actions taken, I am satisfied that Australia Post has done all that it can to manage this matter appropriately and in a timely manner,’ Davies wrote.
‘I acknowledge, however, that the communication to you regarding the progress and outcome of this matter did not meet your expectations.’
Bella* was informed that Victoria police were the most suitable authority to help her with her security issues.
A spokesperson for Australia Post stated that upon receiving the complaint, the organisation ‘immediately launched an internal investigation and assisted the Victorian Police in their investigation of the matter’.
‘Australia Post sincerely apologises to the customer for this unacceptable behaviour, which falls well below our expectations of team members,’ the spokesperson expressed.
‘Australia Post has zero tolerance for this type of behaviour and regularly conducts training with team members to ensure they know their obligations and responsibilities.’
However, the spokesperson did not specify the details of the investigation and did not address inquiries regarding compensation.
Bella expressed* that she perceived a lack of ‘humanity’ in their response and was worried that at least one other woman may have been stalked by the man.
‘I just think it is damning on Australia Post that they have full knowledge that two women over a lengthy period of time have been stalked by an employee and they have not investigated or done anything,’ she remarked.
‘I think it is reprehensible.’
The alarming incident involving the Australia Post employee has shed light on the serious issue of stalking, prompting discussions about personal safety and the responsibilities of organisations in addressing such matters.
Similarly, this topic resonates with other public figures who have shared their own harrowing experiences with stalking, highlighting the need for greater awareness and support for victims.
One such figure, renowned television host Larry Emdur, has recently spoken out about his own ordeal, emphasising the emotional toll and importance of community awareness in preventing stalking.
Have you or someone you know been in a similar situation? How did you handle it? Let us know your experiences and tips in the comments below.
*Name is changed for security and privacy reasons
This development has sparked discussions about the measures organisations must implement to protect their staff from harassment and ensure a safe working environment.
As authorities investigate the situation, the case highlights the need for greater awareness and action against workplace misconduct.
An Australia Post employee is accused of stalking a 64-year-old woman he met during his mail delivery route, leading police to seek a personal safety intervention order against him.
The 41-year-old man resigned after being confronted by the organisation, but the victim expressed her fear and believed that Australia Post's investigation into the incident was insufficient.
Bella*, a resident of a rural Victorian city living alone, received a 12-minute audio recording from the postal worker on a USB stick, detailing how he became familiar with her during his mail deliveries.
An Australia Post employee resigned following stalking allegations involving a woman from his mail run, resulting in a personal safety intervention order against him. Credit: Facebook / Australia Post
She stated that upon first listening to it, she was unaware of the sender's identity and was taken aback by his ‘sleazy and entitled’ tone.
‘I felt sick to my stomach. It was overwhelming,’ Bella* recalled.
‘I could only listen to the first few minutes before having to stop. It made my skin crawl.’
‘Initially, I didn’t know who it was or where it had come from, and the fear was in not even knowing what or who I was looking out for,’ she continued.
In the recording, the man details how he spotted her in town exiting a shop and shares his efforts to see her again.
He also mentions another woman he has been observing, claiming to know her address and stating that he purposely visited her workplace outside of his work hours to catch a glimpse of her.
He remarked, ‘We would have seen one another on and off for five years.’
When Guardian Australia reached out to the second woman, who was easily recognisable from the recording, neither Australia Post nor the police had contacted her.
She only learned that the man may have stalked her after being approached by the Guardian.
In the recording, the man describes his long-standing interest in Bella* and shares his feelings upon seeing her leave a shop.
‘I remember thinking something along the lines of “she looks in pretty good nick” or “a million bucks” or some kind of statement that was going on in my head,’ he said.
‘I was actually going to ask you if you were heading on a date and where you were taking me, but you know it always comes to you afterwards, you know.’
The man states that it was ‘not for a lack of trying’ that he hadn’t encountered her again, implying he had made multiple attempts to find her over six months.
He then shares that about six months later, he volunteered to assist his boss and specifically requested to cover the mail route that included her home.
After weeks of failed attempts to see her, he ultimately delivered the recording to her house, attached to an Australia Post postcard.
Following a complaint to Australia Post, the man resigned when faced with the possibility of an investigation.
Bella* also filed a police complaint, leading to a personal safety intervention order against him, which was granted in August.
She expressed that she had been living in fear for months and felt that Australia Post had ‘wiped their hands clean of this’ despite her complaints regarding their lack of support.
Additionally, she requested financial assistance to enhance her home security, but Australia Post denied her request.
‘It has been horrendous. I am a 64-year-old woman living alone. I can’t sleep,’ Bella* shared.
‘I am up half the night checking my windows and I have had my dogs sleeping with me.’
She then went on to say, ‘It is horrible. I am constantly worried about it, and they haven’t offered me any sense of security.’
‘Australia Post has a lot to answer for. This man has used organisational privilege to stalk women, and the organisation has to be responsible for him.’
‘They don’t seem to have any accountability for the fear this man has instilled and I am not going to stay silent for anyone else’s comfort,’ the 64-year-old added.
Correspondence between Bella* and Australia Post revealed that she expressed her safety concerns and sought assistance.
‘Regardless of the termination of your employee, I am still left with an uncertain situation and for me at my age I find the lack of support from [Australia Post] unnerving,’ a letter from Bella* in July read.
‘I do not feel safe in my home. It was the only space I had that I could find safety and now that has been taken from me.’
In response, Australia Post’s Executive General Manager for People and Culture, Sue Davies, stated, ‘I appreciate that this has been an upsetting and difficult experience for you.’
She mentioned that she examined the situation to ‘assess whether it has been handled appropriately’, noting that the man resigned promptly when confronted.
‘Having reviewed the actions taken, I am satisfied that Australia Post has done all that it can to manage this matter appropriately and in a timely manner,’ Davies wrote.
‘I acknowledge, however, that the communication to you regarding the progress and outcome of this matter did not meet your expectations.’
Bella* was informed that Victoria police were the most suitable authority to help her with her security issues.
A spokesperson for Australia Post stated that upon receiving the complaint, the organisation ‘immediately launched an internal investigation and assisted the Victorian Police in their investigation of the matter’.
‘Australia Post sincerely apologises to the customer for this unacceptable behaviour, which falls well below our expectations of team members,’ the spokesperson expressed.
‘Australia Post has zero tolerance for this type of behaviour and regularly conducts training with team members to ensure they know their obligations and responsibilities.’
However, the spokesperson did not specify the details of the investigation and did not address inquiries regarding compensation.
Bella expressed* that she perceived a lack of ‘humanity’ in their response and was worried that at least one other woman may have been stalked by the man.
‘I just think it is damning on Australia Post that they have full knowledge that two women over a lengthy period of time have been stalked by an employee and they have not investigated or done anything,’ she remarked.
‘I think it is reprehensible.’
The alarming incident involving the Australia Post employee has shed light on the serious issue of stalking, prompting discussions about personal safety and the responsibilities of organisations in addressing such matters.
Similarly, this topic resonates with other public figures who have shared their own harrowing experiences with stalking, highlighting the need for greater awareness and support for victims.
One such figure, renowned television host Larry Emdur, has recently spoken out about his own ordeal, emphasising the emotional toll and importance of community awareness in preventing stalking.
*Name is changed for security and privacy reasons
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