Australia Post and Western Union have expanded their services to include digital money transfers, providing a new way in which Australians can send money worldwide - and ramping up Australia Post's efforts to compete against financial institutions.

Australia Post and Western Union have been working together for 17 years. The launch of Western Union digital money transfers through Australia Post's website provides one more option for Australian customers who wish to send money through Western Union's global payments network.

According to Australia Post, it is the fifth postal organisation worldwide to integrate Western Union's digital money transfer services. Other postal organisations include Post Office Ltd in the United Kingdom, La Banque Postale in France, Russian Post Bank in Russia, and Postepay in Italy.

Australia Post's payments - financial services general manager Deanne Keetelaar explains, “We continue to transform and innovate to meet the changing needs and expectations of our customers. We are pleased to build on our tenured relationship with Western Union.

Keetelaar says that the partnership also enhances customer experience by enabling them to transact in store at more than 2,900 Australia Post retailers and online.
“Whether that is in-store, initiating the transaction online and finishing in-store, or completing the whole transaction journey online.

Keetelaar says that Australia Post's objectives has remained the same over the past 200 years:  “to support our customers to grow and communities to thrive, to create products that people value and trust, and to always deliver great service and value to our customers and the community.

Customers can pay out funds into billions of bank accounts and millions of mobile wallets in approximately 120 countries, or more than half a million Agent locations in more than 200 countries and territories. Customers have the choice to fund their transactions on the website using debit or credit cards or with bank transfers via POLi.

Western Union's Network - Oceania regional vice president Gregory Laurent comments, "We are committed to continuing our digital momentum with expanded services and capabilities, and we are proud to partner with one of the most recognised and trusted brands in the country, Australia Post, to integrate our cross-border technology for customers.