NZ - Poll packs lost after postie panics

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Residents in Rotorua's Solly Pl and Gillam Cres did not get their voting packs for next week's local body elections because a postie dumped them.

The on-call postie has been suspended pending the outcome of an investigation by New Zealand Post.

Two-hundred items of mail, including the election voting packs, destined for the two streets were disposed of by the postie and are unlikely to be recovered.

Rotorua Mail Centre leader Trish Adler said an internal investigation had found an on-call postie did not complete a delivery round on September 18.

The investigation was launched after inquiries from residents saying they were not getting their voting packs.

Ms Adler said the postie told New Zealand Post she became confused about completing the delivery round, panicked and disposed of some general mail and voting packs in a rubbish bin behind Rotorua Hospital.

Ms Adler said the mail centre immediately sought to recover the mail, but found the bin's contents had already been taken away for disposal.

"While we continue our search for this mail, we are assuming it is unrecoverable and are writing to customers in the area advising them of the non-delivery," she said.

"We believe the non-delivery involves about 200 mail items, of which about half are local government election voting packs.
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Our inquiries have narrowed the non-delivery to about 60 letterboxes in Gillam Cres and Solly Place."

A Solly Pl resident, who did not want to be named, said she contacted the Rotorua District Council after realising her voting papers had not arrived.

"It's a bit annoying. You don't know what else there is."

She had had a letter from NZ Post explaining the situation and the council had sent her special voting papers which she could return in the mail.

Ms Adler was confident mail theft or tampering was not involved and the matter would not be referred to the police.

The local electoral officer had said registered voters affected by the non-delivery could cast a vote by either contacting the council, phone (07) 348 4199 to request a special voting document, or by visiting the council at 1061 Haupapa St to get a special voting document and voting at the council building.

Ms Adler said New Zealand Post regretted the actions of the on-call postie and apologised to customers.

"Incidents like this are rare, but unfortunately they can occur. When they do, they come as a huge disappointment to New Zealand Post and other staff. I acknowledge the inconvenience to customers and how upsetting it is for both senders and recipients."

She said customers who had been affected, or think they might be affected, should contact NZ Post's Customer Service Centre, phone 0800 501 501.