Aust Post investigates email misuse

Australia Post has dismissed an employee and is carrying out further investigations, following 'inappropriate' material being distributed over email.

Matt Pollard, Australia Post spokesperson, told iTnews the investigation had involved following the path of the emails, and then interviewing the people who seemed to have been forwarding or storing inappropriate material.

Pollard confirmed that some of the inappropriate material had included some pornographic images.

He said the emails had been discovered because an employee had sent a graphic image to a distribution list, and sent it to the wrong distribution list -- sending it to everyone in his workplace.

The investigation had covered Queensland and NSW, but Pollard said that “a very small number of people were involved”.

Pollard said the bulk of the investigation had been completed and, while he didn't think there would be further dismissals, he “wouldn't rule it out”.

“We have very strict guidelines, and in fact we have a daily screen when you log in each morning that reminds you of the [email useage] policy,” he told iTnews.

“As soon as we became aware of this matter, we launched a full investigation,” Pollard said in a statement. “We cannot condone this type of behaviour, which is in conflict with our code of ethics.”

“One employee has been dismissed, several others have resigned and a number of employees have been counselled.”