Received

The man suspected of murdering Queensland woman Toyah Cordingley is en route to Cairns where he is expected to be charged with murder.

Rajwinder Singh, 38, departed Melbourne on board a private jet on Thursday morning after spending his first night behind bars in Australia.

He is expected to touch down under police escort at the Queensland Government Air (QGAir) base in Cairns on Thursday.

Rajwinder Singh, 38, arrived in Melbourne from Delhi on Wednesday, where a magistrate ordered his return to the state he allegedly fled shortly after Ms Cordingley's body was found on a beach near Cairns in October 2018.

Police believe he hid out in Punjab state after fleeing Australia, leaving behind his wife and three children at their Innisfail home.

Detective Acting Superintendent Kevin Goan said on Wednesday Ms Cordingley's family had been told Mr Singh would soon return to Queensland.

"They're clearly overwhelmed, but delighted that again, the judicial process will commence on Australian soil in the very near future," he told reporters outside the Melbourne court on Wednesday.

Magistrate Martin Grinberg ordered Mr Singh to be extradited to Queensland after hearing police had DNA and telephone evidence allegedly linking him to the case.

He has been remanded in custody and is expected to appear at a court in Cairns this week.

© AAP 2023

An overhaul of how Australia Post will operate is on the cards, driven by a decline in letter deliveries while parcel services are booming.

The federal government has launched a discussion paper aimed at modernising the postal service and making it more financially sustainable.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland says it is important Australia Post is sustainable because local post offices remain key service providers in many communities.

"Australia Post serves so many communities, particularly in rural and regional Australia," she told ABC TV.

"In many cases it's not only the office, it's the general store, it's often the only place also providing banking services.

"So the whole point of this consultation is to understand from Australians, and in particular from small businesses and people representing rural and regional Australia, what they need in a modern Australia Post."

Ms Rowland said while nothing had been decided yet, the changes would be a "productivity driver".

Australia Post delivered more than 500 million parcels during the past financial year, but letter deliveries have been rapidly falling.

Since a peak of 8.5 addressed letters per week in 2007/08, Australian homes now receive just 2.4 letters per week.

The discussion paper said the number is expected to halve again in the next five years.

"While traditional postal services usage declines, Australians are increasingly relying on Australia Post's nationwide parcel delivery services, which operate in a highly competitive market," the discussion paper said.

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said the review would look at how Australia Post locations across the country would be able to operate successfully into the future.

"The government is committed to ensuring that Australia Post continues to modernise to ensure that it is financially sustainable and continues to provide employment opportunities and deliver essential services to all Australians," she said.

"Australia Post has been a constant driver of economic activity for businesses and consumers across Australia."

Earlier this year, the postal service reported a first-half loss of $189 million, with Australia Post set to report its first annual loss since 2015.

Despite the talk of modernisation, the paper said Australia Post would remain in public hands, regardless of changes made.

The union representing postal workers warned against watering down services at the expense of community needs, and suggested Australia Post be granted a banking licence.

"We also want to see Australia Post secure a banking licence, allowing them to bring back genuine local banking services to communities that are being neglected by the big banks, and to stimulate genuine competition in the sector at a time the public are crying out for it most," Communication Workers Union national president Shane Murphy said.

He said governments should also take advantage of its vast network and retail footprint to deliver services, rather than leaving the public in long and frustrating telephone queues.

The chief executive of Australia Post told a Senate estimates hearing last month that rules requiring the postal service to deliver letters five days a week should be reviewed in light of falling letter numbers.

Figures showed bills and bank statements made up nearly 98 per cent of letters delivered.

Public consultation on the discussion paper is open until April 27.

© AAP 2023

An overhaul of how Australia Post will operate is on the cards, driven by a decline in letter deliveries as parcel services boom.

The federal government has launched a discussion paper aimed at modernising the postal service and making it more financially sustainable.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland says it is important Australia Post is sustainable because local post offices remain key service providers in many communities.

"It performs a range of vital community service obligations and especially in rural and regional Australia," she told reporters in Sydney on Thursday.

"Australia Post not only serves as the post office, often it is the only banking service in town, the news agent, or the retailer, so it is important."

Ms Rowland said while nothing had been decided yet, the changes would be a "productivity driver", with the organisation subject to the same regulation as it was a quarter century ago.

She also backed in postal workers, saying when the last letter was delivered, it would be by Australia Post.

"We understand how important they are to ensure Australia Post remains financially viable, so their jobs, their good-paying jobs, also remain viable," she said.

Ms Rowland said the government would not let the postal service fail.

Australia Post CEO Paul Graham said the organisation was entirely self-funded and didn't want to become a financial burden on the government.

"We seek to gain bigger market share, but if we don't address our letter business, that will impact our ability to service the community," he said.

Australia Post delivered more than 500 million parcels during the past financial year, but letter deliveries have been falling rapidly.

Australian homes receive just 2.4 letters per week on average and this is expected to halve again in the next five years.

Opposition communications spokesman David Coleman said the government needed to ensure none of the 2500 regional and rural communities that rely on post offices would be disadvantaged by any changes.

"The regional network of post offices must be protected at all costs," he told AAP.

"They're the centrepiece of many communities and we will fight to protect them."

Mr Coleman said the minister needed to be transparent about job losses under the restructure.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said he understood the difficulties facing Australia Post but the service needed to meet its community obligations.

"People will always have that requirement to send a letter and that's their right to do so," he said.

Earlier this year, the postal service reported a first-half loss of $189 million and it is set to report its first annual loss since 2015.

Despite the talk of modernisation, the discussion paper said Australia Post would remain in public hands, regardless of any changes.

The union representing postal workers warned against watering down services at the expense of community needs.

Communication Workers Union national president Shane Murphy suggested Australia Post be granted a banking licence "allowing them to bring back genuine local banking services to communities being neglected by the big banks".

Figures showed bills and bank statements made up nearly 98 per cent of letters delivered.

Public consultation on the discussion paper is open until April 27.

© AAP 2023