A user-paid postal system could become a reality after Australia Post suffered significant financial losses last year.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the company is exploring other options following last year’s $218 million loss due to a drastic decrease in people sending and receiving letters.

The new model would require residents to pay an annual bill based on desired speed of delivery in addition to existing stamp prices.

“If you want it fast, you pay for it,” John Stanhope, chairman of Australia Post, told Fairfax Media.

“If you are happy enough for your letter to be delivered less frequently then you pay less, if you want it more frequent you pay more, if you want it express you pay more, so you pay for the level of service.”

Mr Stanhope said the policy had already been successfully tested in New Zealand.

“The New Zealand government has already got on the front foot compared to us and tested less frequent delivery of letters and apparently the response is, ‘that’s OK’. Less frequency seems to be where mail services around the world are headed.”