# Australia and New Zealand postal and logistics performance

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/australia-and-new-zealand-postal-and-logistics-performance
> Updated: 2026-08-26T23:45:00.000Z. Sources: 47. Developments: 2.

Australia and New Zealand postal and logistics providers have reported significant financial shifts driven by changing consumer habits and e-commerce trends.

In Australia, online spending reached $21.9 billion in the fourth quarter of the 2026 financial year, a 14% year-on-year increase fueled by end-of-financial-year sales. While online marketplaces accounted for 42% of purchases, the average basket size fell to a record low of $90, suggesting consumers are prioritizing value and smaller, affordable items, a phenomenon described as the “lipstick effect”.

Reflecting these trends, Australia Post reported a pre-tax profit of $31.8 million, up from $18.8 million the previous year. This growth was largely supported by $8.01 billion in parcel income and $140 million from property divestments; without the property sales, the company would have faced a $107.6 million loss. To address declining letter volumes, which fell by 14.7%, the organization is implementing a new delivery model.

In New Zealand, NZ Post returned to a $17 million net profit for the year ending June 30, marking a $19 million improvement over previous losses. Revenue rose to $1.2 billion, aided by an automated parcel processing network that handled 17.1 million parcels during peak periods. However, the union E tū has called for workers to receive a fairer share of profits, noting that some staff remain below the living wage.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-26: Canada Post reports $277M pre-tax loss in Q2 2026

Canada Post reported a $277 million pre-tax loss in Q2 2026, an improvement from last year, while moving forward with plans to transition millions of addresses to community mailboxes to cut costs.

47 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/nz-post-reports-17-million-net-profit

### 2026-07-29: Australia Post reports $21.9 bn online sales in Q4, driven by EOFY discounts

Australia Post reports $21.9 bn spent online in Q4 FY26, up 14 % YoY, with average baskets down to $90 and strong growth among millennials and EOFY sales.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/australia-post-reports-219-bn-online-sales-in-q4-driven-by-eofy-discounts

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Cite as: Australia and New Zealand postal and logistics performance. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/australia-and-new-zealand-postal-and-logistics-performance