Australia news live: postal workers report rise in dog-related incidents; Lincraft to close after 80 years

Australia Post issued a renewed call for people to secure their dogs after reporting more than 1,200 dog-related incidents affecting its posties over the last six months, an average of nine incidents a day. The agency said that figure is a 5% increase on the same period last year, which raises serious concerns about the safety of its frontline workers. New South Wales is the worst offender, accounting for more than a third of all cases. 0:54 Australia Post releases footage of dog attacks on postal workers – video Russell Munro , the general manager of safety for AusPost, said in a statement: double quotation mark Posties encounter multiple dogs every day while delivering, and some can pose a real safety risk. What seems like a routine delivery can quickly escalate, and our posties can’t predict how a dog may react, regardless of breed or temperament. Posties are now equipped with citronella spray as a last line of defence measure, a non-toxic effort to briefly distract dogs. Munro added: double quotation mark If you’re expecting a delivery , make sure your dog is securely contained in another room, behind a locked gate or safely restrained. If you’re unable to do so, we encourage customers to consider using a 24/7 free and convenient parcel locker as a safer alternative. Photograph: William Caram/Alamy