Australia Post is forced to cancel deliveries in troubled Outback town after postie was pelted with rocks and threatened with a knife

[TrueBlueTerrier]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... acked.html

Australia Post said it will no longer deliver to a large part of Alice Springs after a postman of 38 years was pelted with rocks and threatened with a knife.

All letter and parcel services have been suspended in five Alice Springs streets after the frightening series of violent attacks which left the veteran postie traumatised.

The Post sent a letter to residents in Sadadeen, in the town's east, to inform them their service has been indefinitely suspended.

Their mail will instead be available for collection at the local post office.

'Australia Post delivery personnel have a reasonable expectation to work and operate in a safe environment,' the letter reads, the ABC reported on Tuesday evening.

A veteran postie of 38 years took stress leave last year after he was threatened with a knife and pelted with rocks

Country Liberal Member for Braitling, Josh Burgoyne, said the postie went on stress leave last year.

But upon their return they were threatened with a knife while delivering the mail.

Northern Territory Police are investigating these claims.

Mr Burgoyne told the ABC's Lee Robinson that Australia Post's concerns 'need to be taken very seriously'.

'When you've been in the job for 38 years, this is not something that you expect to happen,' he said.

'I just want to give my thanks to all posties that go out there and do a good job, but especially to this specific individual because they do a bloody good job.'

He also called on the NT government agency Territory Families to investigate the postie's complaints.

'If there are people that are acting and behaving extraordinarily badly and committing alleged offences towards our posties, there (must be) things put in place to ensure that this stops,' he said.

In a statement, Australia Post apologised for the 'inconvenience' caused by the service suspension and said it is working with authorities 'to create a safe working environment'.

The news follows several months of intense scrutiny on the NT Government due to increased violent crime in Alice Springs.

The community has faced a high number of break-ins and assaults and called on authorities to find a solution, particularly regarding the high level of youth crime.