Mail security arrangements

Mail screening

Mail screening involves passing mail items through multi-energy x-ray security inspection equipment to detect both organic and inorganic harmful materials. It may also involve visual assessment of screened items to identify suspicious articles. Screening is safe for magnetic tape and high speed film up to ISO 1600 (33 DIN).

What is screened?

All mail including:

• Australia Post mail
• unexpected courier deliveries
• hand delivered mail that is sealed.

The mail screening service is performed by Decipha Pty Ltd (a wholly owned subsidiary of Australia Post) at their West End premises.

The screening process does not affect current mail delivery times for Australia Post mail. However, unexpected courier deliveries and intra-governmental mail may take longer if the following procedures are not followed. 

Intra-governmental mail

Make sure you:

• address inter-office envelopes in full with post office box number
• endorse standard envelopes with the letters 'IGM' so they don't get sent with regular mail.

Courier deliveries

Staff must notify building security staff on Plaza level in advance in order for courier items to be delivered directly to the building. Security staff need to know the:

• name of the recipient
• expected time of arrival
• name of the courier making the delivery
• sender’s details.

If this information is not given, the couriered item will be redirected to Decipha at 2 Duncan Street, West End, where it will be screened.

Oversize courier deliveries

You need to make special arrangements with building security in order to receive courier-delivered items larger than 61.5 cm wide and 45.5 cm high. These oversize items cannot be screened by Decipha.