Australia Post boss says a sign in a South Australian store was well-intentioned but poorly executed and he has apologised to people offended by the wording.
Staff in the Rundle Mall post office in Adelaide's CBD put up a sign earlier this month that read "We unfortunately CAN NOT take INDIAN photos."
It was taken down as soon as management became aware of it, and an apology was issued by a spokesperson for Australia Post.
Appearing at Senate estimates, Australia Post's group chief executive officer and managing director Paul Graham said staff wanted to advise customers about technical issues with passport and visa applications for India, but admitted the wording could have been better.
"It was a very regrettable situation," he said. "While well-intentioned, it was poorly executed.
"The goal was to advise that we had some technical difficulties in relations to photographs being taken, particularly for the Indian consulate.
"The wording was very poor, it was incorrect, and we unreservedly apologise any offence that may have been taken."
Mr Graham confirmed that staff members at the Rundle Mall store have been spoken to about how the sign was perceived by some members of the public.
He said Australia Post had also spoken to staff across the network to advise them about language and the postage of signs and insisted the organisation is one of the most inclusive in the country.
"With [more than] 138 different nationalities, we take pride in our diversity very highly … no one was more upset than Australia Post in relation to any hurt this sign caused," he said.
Review now underway
Changes have now been made in the Australia Post Rundle Mall office to address what Mr Graham described as "technical issues" with taking photos.
Official Indian documentation for passports and visas requires photographs that are of a different size to what most other countries require.
"We were having difficulties with our equipment in meeting the standards that were put in place by the Indian consulate," he said.
"They have standards that are different from other embassies … the lighting and the arrangements we have for that environment were not able to produce the quality of photographs required by the Indian consulate.
"We have now made arrangements to improve those facilities, so that the lighting and, therefore the quality, of the photographs we produce are going to meet the standards that are put in place by the Indian consulate."
While new equipment has now been set up at Rundle Mall, Australia Post has started a review of all 4,300 offices to check they comply with the rules.
Mr Graham said some of the larger stores were already well-equipped but some of the smaller shop fronts did not have the best facilities and the review would identify where changes were needed.
