Bob
20th June 2006, 00:36
The Australian Postal Service is currently advertising for “reliable and motivated people who have a licence to ride a motorbike and can lift up to 16 kilograms”… that weigh less than 90 kilos. Or one in four of ALL men, according to Rob Moodie, the chief executive of VicHealth.
Mr Moodie said "They’re knocking off or excluding people for the wrong reasons. It's in fact better to be fit and fat than it is to be thin and inactive."
Australia Post spokeswoman Lea Jaensch says they are simply trying to comply with the weight limits set out on the postal worker motorbikes. She says the motorbikes used by most postal workers can carry a maximum of 130 kilograms - 40 kilograms for letters and packages and 90 kilograms for the postie.
But the Victorian secretary of the Communication Workers Union, Joan Doyle, says Australia Post should supply appropriate bikes "I can name a couple of area managers who were posties and they're well over 90 kilos because they were six foot tall. In actual fact, if people are smaller we know that Australia Post will get people smaller bikes and in difficult terrains they'll get them trail bikes, types of bikes with more gut."
Australia Post says it does not expect to receive any complaints and it is standing by the weight limits it has advertised.
Mr Moodie said "They’re knocking off or excluding people for the wrong reasons. It's in fact better to be fit and fat than it is to be thin and inactive."
Australia Post spokeswoman Lea Jaensch says they are simply trying to comply with the weight limits set out on the postal worker motorbikes. She says the motorbikes used by most postal workers can carry a maximum of 130 kilograms - 40 kilograms for letters and packages and 90 kilograms for the postie.
But the Victorian secretary of the Communication Workers Union, Joan Doyle, says Australia Post should supply appropriate bikes "I can name a couple of area managers who were posties and they're well over 90 kilos because they were six foot tall. In actual fact, if people are smaller we know that Australia Post will get people smaller bikes and in difficult terrains they'll get them trail bikes, types of bikes with more gut."
Australia Post says it does not expect to receive any complaints and it is standing by the weight limits it has advertised.