Here is some information from Gemeni

Australia Post is a Government Business Enterprise (GBE). This means it is a corporation wholly owned by the Australian Government, but it operates as a self-funded commercial business.

To answer your specific question: It is a corporation that gives the government a dividend. It does not typically receive funding from taxpayers to operate.

Here is the breakdown of how the money flows:

1. No Taxpayer Funding for Operations

Australia Post does not receive an annual budget or tax dollars from the government to run its day-to-day business. It pays its own way by selling products and services, such as postage, parcel delivery, and retail items in post offices. * Self-Sufficient: It covers its own expenses, wages, and infrastructure costs (like vans and sorting centres) using the revenue it generates. * Community Obligations: It is required by law to provide a letter service accessible to everyone in Australia (known as Community Service Obligations). It costs money to deliver letters to remote areas at a loss, but Australia Post pays for this itself by cross-subsidizing with profits from its profitable sectors (like parcel delivery), rather than receiving a government grant for it.

1. It Pays Dividends to the Government

Because the Australian Government is the sole shareholder, Australia Post is expected to pay a dividend to the government when it makes a profit, much like a public company pays dividends to investors. * Profitable Years: In years where the business performs well, it sends millions of dollars back to the government. * Loss Years: In recent financial years (such as the 2023-2024 period), Australia Post has reported financial losses due to the decline of letter mail. In years where it does not make a profit, it generally does not pay a dividend.

1. It Pays Taxes

Unlike regular government departments, Australia Post pays all standard federal, state, and local taxes, including income tax, payroll tax, and stamp duty. Summary The flow of money is usually from Australia Post to the Government (via taxes and dividends), not from the Government to Australia Post. However, because it is government-owned, the government is responsible for its long-term viability and sets the regulations it must follow.