Australia Post will roll out thank you payments with an average amount of $600 to 33,000 team members this week for their efforts during the Covid-19 outbreak.

The payments will be given to Australia Post’s parcel and mail processing staff, posties, parcel delivery partners, call centre workers, and post office licensees, who continue to provide critical services during the pandemic, and delivery drivers, among others.

Christine Holgate, group CEO and managing director, said it is incredibly important to thank those who continue to work so tirelessly in keeping the business running during the health crisis.

“Australia Post has not closed for a single day during Covid-19 and this has only been possible due to our hardworking posties, post office workers, delivery partners, call centre staff and our teams across the country,” Holgate said.

“With Victoria now dealing with Stage 4 restrictions, I’m so proud with how our team has adapted so quickly to rise to the challenge and support each other so we can continue delivering across the country,” she said. “Australia Post is really connecting the country during this pandemic.”

Australia Post stated it has seen parcel volumes boom since the start of the pandemic, with some days up 90 per cent compared to last year.

Across Australia, online shopping growth in June topped 72 per cent compared to the same time last year, while in Victoria’s lockdown in July e-commerce grew 118 per cent, with a third of Australia’s online purchases in July made in the southern state.

New partnerships with Woolworths and The Pharmacy Guild have also ensured continuity of supply for many essential items like groceries and prescription medicine, particularly for vulnerable community members during the pandemic, the postal service said.