Leaflet or Newspaper Deliverer

A Leaflet or Newspaper Deliverer distributes newspapers, leaflets, and promotional materials to residential and commercial addresses on a scheduled route. Working independently or as part of a delivery team, they collect bundles of materials from a depot or collection point, sort them by delivery area, and transport them by foot, bicycle, or vehicle to letter boxes and doorways across their assigned territory. The role requires punctuality, route familiarity, and physical stamina to complete deliveries within specified timeframes.

Collect bundled newspapers and leaflets from the depot or distribution point and check the quantity against the delivery docket. Sort materials by delivery route or postcode area to optimise the sequence of deliveries. Load materials into a delivery bag, trolley, or vehicle according to the route geography. Walk or cycle assigned routes, placing one copy of each publication into each residential or commercial letter box. Record the number of undelivered items or failed delivery attempts on a delivery sheet or mobile app. Handle complaints or inquiries from householders regarding missing or damaged publications. Report damaged, wet, or unusable materials to the depot supervisor or distribution manager. Monitor weather conditions and adjust delivery pace or protection methods to preserve publication quality.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate I or compulsory secondary education (ABS skill level 5). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

Newspaper delivery has shrunk dramatically as more people read news online. Work is casual and early-morning-only, often starting at 4 or 5am. Pay is low and irregular because it depends on how many papers the publisher prints that week. You'll work in all weather, and your knees and back will hurt from the repetitive walking and bending.

Most delivery work concentrates in metropolitan suburbs where population density makes routes worthwhile. Realistically, inner and middle suburbs of capital cities still have newspaper deliveries, but outer suburbs and regional towns increasingly do not. Work is disappearing fastest in areas losing local papers.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 8999, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracycore
• Delivery Schedulingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Dispatch Documentation
• Driver and Courier Liaison
• Incident Reporting
• Multitasking
• Problem Solving
• Verbal Communication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026