Price increases for mailing magazines

If you mail magazines to your members, your postage costs are about to get more expensive.
Australia Post has announced it will lift its rates from 6 July 2009, by 3.9 per cent for parcels, 3.6 per cent for Print Post and 3.1 per cent for line-haul charges. According to director of mailing house D&D Mailing Services, David Docherty, who was quoted in The Australian, the combined effect of these rises is an average increase of 4.6 per cent for publishers posting out magazines – presumably with similar impacts on associations mailing magazines.
While prices are reviewed each year, in the past they have been adjusted in September - making this review two months earlier than expected.
Publishing peak body Publishers Australia has taken Australia Post to task over the increases, arguing that they do not reflect the current level of inflation or the severity of the business climate, and believe that insufficient notice has been given of the change, particularly given the timing.
Publishers Australia executive director Alan Sarkissian said, "Postal increases are inevitable, although as it has been only nine months since the last rise, the 6th July increase is seen by the association and the majority of its members as not being in the spirit of fair play, or in line with the Rudd Government’s strategies to keep companies afloat in these challenging times."
Publishers Australia has also challenged Australia Post spokesperson Jo Willoughby's assertion that the increases were necessary because of direct cost pressures incurred by Australia Post, and that in fact, the full measure of these costs were not being passed on through the increases.
Associations may have to review costs associated with magazine production in light of these impending increases.