A joint venture between service bureaus Computershare and SALMAT is readying the launch of Zumbox in Australia, providing a service called Digital Post Australia.

This aims to provide government and business with a way to reach Australian citizens via a secure online digital postbox when it launches later in 2012.

The Zumbox digital postal mail technology platform is offered in the US to provide individuals with a secure digital vault where documents can be stored, tagged and searched for.

The platform is a closed system, restricted to verified mailers and individually verified consumers linked to a physical mailing address. This means that companies using the service can be confident in the secure delivery of their communications to the right person and users can be assured that only they can access content contained in their digital postbox.

These controls aim to eliminate susceptibility to spam, fraud and phishing.

“Digital Post Australia will transform the way we receive and organise all our essential communications,” said David Hynes, Chairman of Digital Post Australia. “We are taking one of the oldest forms of communication and making it more relevant to today’s marketplace. The Australian consumer is ready for the next generation of mail delivery and the benefits it will bring will be significant and widespread for both consumers and business.”

Stuart Crosby, CEO of Computershare said: “We are excited to be providing a new channel for clients to communicate to customers. With the click of a button, people can receive their mail online no matter where they are, bypassing the physical post box. Once online, customers can easily access other online tools, leveraging the technologies Computershare and our clients have invested in.”