Frustrated customers are accusing Australia Post of failing to properly deliver parcels ahead of Christmas, with claims drivers are simply distributing pick-up slips and dumping the items at the nearest post office.

Nicky Breen from the consumer advocacy group Choice said the delays were especially frustrating for people waiting on Christmas deliveries.

"The biggest bugbear is for a consumer to walk out of their house and find a missed delivery notification in their mailbox, even though they'd been home all day," she said.

Many people then face lengthy queues at the post office to collect their parcels.

Earlier this year, a Choice survey of 1,025 Australians found that more than one in four had experienced problems with parcel deliveries in the past 12 months.

The most common complaint was about receiving "missed delivery" notifications when the customers were actually at home.

The survey included all parcel delivery services and was not confined to Australia Post — but it is the largest provider.

Ms Breen said if people believed drivers were not making genuine delivery attempts, they should notify Australia Post.

"It's much easier now to trace delivery to drivers, so if you're having an issue ... make a complaint," she said.

'Shortcuts taken' during Christmas rush

The union representing postal workers said the problem was being caused by subcontracted drivers, who were paid as little as $1.00 per delivery.

Communication, Electrical and Plumbing Union organiser Peter Chaloner said drivers were under enormous pressure in December.

"When the heat's on at Christmas time, there's only so many hours in the day," he said.

"You're not getting paid for extra hours, you're just getting paid for extra articles, so shortcuts are taken."

He said Australia Post needed to consider the welfare of subcontracted drivers when negotiating tenders for package delivery services.

Delivery drivers required to "knock & call out"

Loading

Australia Post requires drivers to knock three times and call out at the door when attempting to make a home delivery.

"We encourage our customers to contact us if our delivery drivers are not attempting delivery to the door," Australia Post said in a statement.

"That way we can follow up with our drivers in that area to ensure they do follow our national policy of knocking and calling out to the door before leaving a card."

Australia Post declined the ABC's request for an interview, but a spokesman said the parcel delivery network was performing "exceptionally well".

"Since October we have been successfully delivering more than 1 million parcels a day, and last week we broke a record, delivering more than 2 million parcels in a 24-hour period," he said.