Australia Post to lift US shipping pause — but some customers still face a wait

Australia Post says a new arrangement will allow it to soon resume postal services to the US for business customers. But for others, there's still uncertainty.

Parcels are seen on a production line at an Australia Post facility.

Australia Post and other international postal operators partially suspended services to the US after the Trump administration ended an exemption that allowed some parcels to enter the country duty-free. Source: AAP / James Ross

Australia Post says it plans to lift its partial suspension of parcel deliveries to the United States — a decision that was sparked by the Trump administration's tariffs.

Following similar announcements from other international postal operators, Australia Post announced in late August that it would partially suspend postal services to the US and its overseas territories due to changes in US customs rules for parcels.

That change led to the end of an exemption that allowed parcels and goods valued below US$800 (approximately $1,200) to enter the country duty-free — a move that has affected Australian businesses selling to American customers and Australians sending expensive presents to loved ones across the ocean.

Australia Post said the suspension was unfortunate, although necessary, because it did not have a system in place to collect the duties.

But on Tuesday, Australia Post announced it had established an arrangement with a third-party platform to resume postal services for its business customers on or before 25 September.
Australia Post executive general manager Gary Starr said: "While we are planning to lift the temporary suspension on Thursday 25 September, if we are able to lift this earlier, we absolutely will."

Australia Post is still working on a way to allow non-business customers to send higher-value parcels to the US and has not confirmed when services will resume for these customers.

Customers can still send ordinary letters and documents, as well as gifts valued under US$100 ($153), which remain duty-free.


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By David Aidone
Source: SBS News


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Australia Post to lift US shipping pause — but some customers still face a wait | SBS News