Just as the federal government prepares to force businesses to accept cash, some Australia Post branches are doing the exact opposite—refusing to take your hard-earned notes and coins at all.
It's a timing that's left many older Australians scratching their heads and reaching for their phones to lodge complaints.
An Australia Post outlet that does not accept or provide cash to customers has sparked frustration among some Aussies, with the move sparking fresh debate this week after being shared across social media.
The Kent Street branch in Sydney's CBD and the Manly post office on the Northern Beaches have both gone completely cashless, accepting only card or phone payments.
For many seniors who prefer the familiarity and control of cash transactions, it feels like being shut out of an essential service.
When a government service won't take government money
'Not cool for a fundamental service, many clients with disabilities still use cash,' one person wrote. 'So those who go into the store to pay bills that way, can't anymore?' another added. Others called the move 'ridiculous' and questioned whether it was legal to not accept cash payments.
The frustration is understandable. After all, we're talking about Australia Post—a government-owned service that handles everything from pension payments to passport applications. When such a fundamental service refuses legal tender, it raises questions about accessibility and fairness.
Australia Post defends the decision as creating a 'streamlined and secure transaction process,' but many customers aren't buying it. All nearby post offices accept cash, including Balgowlah and Freshwater, with the Balgowlah post office about a five-minute drive away from Manly, while the Freshwater post office is seven minutes away.
'For many older Australians, cash is a cornerstone of financial independence, not just a payment tool'
The bigger picture: Australia's cash conundrum
The Australia Post situation reflects a broader trend that's particularly challenging for older Australians. Cash made up just 13 per cent of total consumer payments in 2022, according to Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) data, dropping from 69 per cent in 2007 and 27 per cent in 2019.
But here's what those statistics don't show: one in two Australians over 65 years and about 35 per cent of 50-65 year olds reporting that they use cash on a regular basis.
That's a significant portion of the population who could find themselves increasingly excluded from everyday transactions.
There have been growing concerns over Australia's move towards a cashless society, with research by Waave finding 71 per cent of Aussies were worried, and 41 per cent were 'extremely concerned'.
Baby Boomers, regional Australians and lower-income households were the most concerned about the move.
Two-thirds said they were worried going cashless would exclude certain Aussies and exacerbate economic inequality, while 58 per cent were worried about increased banking and card fees.
The hidden cost of going digital
There's another angle to this story that directly hits your hip pocket. While businesses like Australia Post might absorb card processing fees, many don't—and those costs add up quickly.
The original article mentioned card fees could cost consumers up to $140 a year, with some digital payment providers like Square charging as much as $1.88 per $100 transaction.
For seniors living on fixed incomes, these seemingly small charges can make a real difference over time. It's yet another reason why maintaining access to cash payments matters.
Understanding your complaint options
If you're unhappy with cashless Australia Post services:
• Contact Australia Post directly on 13 7678 (13 POST)
• Use their online complaint form at auspost.com.au
• If unresolved, escalate to the Postal Industry Ombudsman at ombudsman.gov.au
• Document all interactions for better outcomes
Good news on the horizon: The 2026 cash mandate
Here's where the story takes a positive turn for cash users. The Federal Government announced that it will mandate that businesses must accept cash when selling essential items like groceries and fuel, with final details to be announced in 2025 and the mandate expected to commence from 1 January 2026.
This new law will require businesses selling essential goods and services to accept cash payments, with appropriate exemptions for small businesses. Around 1.5 million Australians use cash to make more than 80 per cent of their in-person payments and up to 94 per cent of businesses continue to accept cash.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers stated: 'For many Australians, cash is more than a payment method, it's a lifeline. Mandating cash for essential purchases means those who rely on cash will not be left behind.'
The mandate will target larger businesses like supermarkets, pharmacies, and fuel stations. Small businesses with aggregate turnover under $10 million (or if part of a franchise arrangement where the franchise turnover is under $10 million) will likely be exempt.
What this means for you right now
While the cash mandate won't take effect until 2026, there are steps you can take today if you're affected by cashless policies at Australia Post or elsewhere:
Your rights and options today
- Australia Post must provide alternative cash-accepting locations nearby
- You can lodge complaints through multiple channels if service is inadequate
- Essential services like bill payments should remain accessible
- Document any accessibility issues you encounter for future reference
- Consider joining advocacy efforts through National Seniors or similar groups
For Australia Post specifically, remember that Bank@Post accounts for most face-to-face cash access points in outer regional and remote areas, while services are more evenly split between Bank@Post and ADI branches in major cities. Even if one branch has gone cashless, others nearby should still accept cash.
The consultation period: Your chance to be heard
The government is currently seeking feedback on how the cash mandate should work. The government released a consultation paper in late December, with a deadline of 14 February for feedback. The plan is for legislation to be in place for the mandate to be introduced in January 2026.
National Seniors Australia (NSA) has been at the forefront of moves to ensure cash remains a valid form of payment through our Keep Cash campaign, and they're preparing a submission. If you want to have your say, you can contact them or submit feedback directly to Treasury.
Did you know?
Did you know?
The cash mandate aims to help with payment system resilience during natural disasters or digital outages, when card systems might fail but cash transactions can continue normally.
Looking ahead: A more inclusive payment future
RMIT associate professor of finance Dr Angel Zhong expects Australia will become 'functionally cashless' by 2030 due to consumer preferences, but the government's mandate ensures that essential services will remain accessible to cash users.
The irony of Australia Post going cashless just as cash acceptance becomes legally required for essential services highlights the importance of having these protections in place.
The paper notes that cash continues to play an important role in maintaining social inclusion by helping ensure that community members without the ability to use digital payment methods can still participate in the economy.
While we wait for the 2026 mandate to take effect, it's worth remembering that currently there is no regulation that mandates businesses must accept cash as a means of payment, but the Government has announced an intention to mandate that businesses supplying essential goods and services must accept payment in cash, with appropriate exemptions for small businesses.
What This Means For You
The Australia Post cashless controversy may seem like a small issue, but it represents something much bigger—the need to ensure that as our payment systems evolve, nobody gets left behind. With the 2026 mandate on the horizon, there's reason for optimism that essential services will become more accessible to everyone, regardless of their preferred payment method.
What's your experience been with cashless services? Have you encountered difficulties accessing essential services without a card? We'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
Original Article
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...tml?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
Australia Post outlet that doesn’t accept or provide cash: ‘Move to cashless’
Cited text: An Australia Post outlet that does not accept or provide cash to customers has sparked frustration among some Aussies.
Excerpt: An Australia Post outlet that does not accept or provide cash to customers has sparked frustration among some Aussies, with the move sparking fresh debate this week after being shared across social media
https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/a...-provide-cash-move-to-cashless-070803364.html
Australia Post outlet that doesn’t accept or provide cash: ‘Move to cashless’
Cited text: Contact [email protected] · While the Manly post office being cashless isn’t new, the move has sparked fresh debate this week after being shar...
Excerpt: An Australia Post outlet that does not accept or provide cash to customers has sparked frustration among some Aussies, with the move sparking fresh debate this week after being shared across social media
https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/a...-provide-cash-move-to-cashless-070803364.html
Australia Post outlet that doesn’t accept or provide cash: ‘Move to cashless’
Cited text: “Not cool for a fundamental service, many clients with disabilities still use cash,” one person wrote. “So those who go into the store to pay bills th...
Excerpt: 'Not cool for a fundamental service, many clients with disabilities still use cash,' one person wrote.
https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/a...-provide-cash-move-to-cashless-070803364.html
Australia Post outlet that doesn’t accept or provide cash: ‘Move to cashless’
Cited text: “All nearby post offices accept cash, including Balgowlah and Freshwater,” the spokesperson told Yahoo Finance. The Balgowlah post office is about a f...
Excerpt: All nearby post offices accept cash, including Balgowlah and Freshwater, with the Balgowlah post office about a five-minute drive away from Manly, while the Freshwater post office is seven minutes away
https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/a...-provide-cash-move-to-cashless-070803364.html
Australia Post outlet that doesn’t accept or provide cash: ‘Move to cashless’
Cited text: ... Cash made up just 13 per cent of total consumer payments in 2022, according to Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) data, dropping from 69 per cent in ...
Excerpt: Cash made up just 13 per cent of total consumer payments in 2022, according to Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) data, dropping from 69 per cent in 2007 and 27 per cent in 2019
https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/a...-provide-cash-move-to-cashless-070803364.html
Mandating cash for essential goods and services long overdue, crucial reform: COTA Australia—COTA Australia
Cited text: Chief Executive Officer of COTA Australia—the leading advocacy organisation for older people—Patricia Sparrow said that with one in two Australian...
Excerpt: one in two Australians over 65 years and about 35 per cent of 50-65 year olds reporting that they use cash on a regular basis
https://cota.org.au/news/mandating-cash-for-essential-goods-and-services-reform/
Australia Post outlet that doesn’t accept or provide cash: ‘Move to cashless’
Cited text: There have been growing concerns over Australia’s move towards a cashless society, with research by Waave finding 71 per cent of Aussies were worried,...
Excerpt: There have been growing concerns over Australia's move towards a cashless society, with research by Waave finding 71 per cent of Aussies were worried, and 41 per cent were 'extremely concerned'.
https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/a...-provide-cash-move-to-cashless-070803364.html
Mandating cash for essential goods and services long overdue, crucial reform: COTA Australia—COTA Australia
Cited text: The Federal Government today announced that it will mandate that businesses must accept cash when selling essential items like groceries and fuel, wit...
Excerpt: The Federal Government announced that it will mandate that businesses must accept cash when selling essential items like groceries and fuel, with final details to be announced in 2025 and the mandate expected to commence from 1 January 2026
https://cota.org.au/news/mandating-cash-for-essential-goods-and-services-reform/
Next steps in ensuring the future of cash | Treasury Ministers
Cited text: Around 1.5 million Australians use cash to make more than 80 per cent of their in‑person payments and up to 94 per cent of businesses continue to acce...
Excerpt: Around 1.5 million Australians use cash to make more than 80 per cent of their in-person payments and up to 94 per cent of businesses continue to accept cash
https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/m...edia-releases/next-steps-ensuring-future-cash
Government calls for cash mandate to be on the horizon for 2026 | Accountants Daily
Cited text: According to Chalmers, around 1.5 million Australians used cash to make more than 80 per cent of their in-person payments and up to 94 per cent of bus...
Excerpt: Around 1.5 million Australians use cash to make more than 80 per cent of their in-person payments and up to 94 per cent of businesses continue to accept cash
https://www.accountantsdaily.com.au...or-cash-mandate-to-be-on-the-horizon-for-2026
Next steps in ensuring the future of cash | Treasury Ministers
Cited text: For many Australians, cash is more than a payment method, it’s a lifeline. Mandating cash for essential purchases means those who rely on cash will no...
Excerpt: Treasurer Jim Chalmers stated: 'For many Australians, cash is more than a payment method, it's a lifeline.
https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/m...edia-releases/next-steps-ensuring-future-cash
Mandating cash acceptance—Bright Law
Cited text: It is proposed that an exempt small business be one that: if it is not part of a franchise arrangement—has aggregate turnover of under $10 million; ...
Excerpt: Small businesses with aggregate turnover under $10 million (or if part of a franchise arrangement where the franchise turnover is under $10 million) will likely be exempt
https://www.brightlaw.com.au/mandating-cash-acceptance/
Access to Cash in Australia | Bulletin—January 2025 | RBA
Cited text: In the vast majority of cases, the last face-to-face cash access point is Bank@Post.
Excerpt: Bank@Post accounts for most face-to-face cash access points in outer regional and remote areas, while services are more evenly split between Bank@Post and ADI branches in major cities
https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/bulletin/2025/jan/access-to-cash-in-australia.html
Access to Cash in Australia | Bulletin—January 2025 | RBA
Cited text: Bank@Post accounts for most of face-to-face cash access points in outer regional and remote areas, while services are more evenly split between Bank@P...
Excerpt: Bank@Post accounts for most face-to-face cash access points in outer regional and remote areas, while services are more evenly split between Bank@Post and ADI branches in major cities
https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/bulletin/2025/jan/access-to-cash-in-australia.html
Share your support for cash mandate—National Seniors Australia
Cited text: The government released a consultation paper in late December, with a deadline of 14 February for feedback. The plan is for legislation to be in place...
Excerpt: The government released a consultation paper in late December, with a deadline of 14 February for feedback.
https://nationalseniors.com.au/news/featured-news/share-your-support-for-cash-mandate
Share your support for cash mandate—National Seniors Australia
Cited text: National Seniors Australia (NSA) has been at the forefront of moves to ensure cash remains a valid form of payment through our Keep Cash campaign, and...
Excerpt: National Seniors Australia (NSA) has been at the forefront of moves to ensure cash remains a valid form of payment through our Keep Cash campaign
https://nationalseniors.com.au/news/featured-news/share-your-support-for-cash-mandate
Australia Post outlet that doesn’t accept or provide cash: ‘Move to cashless’
Cited text: RMIT associate professor of finance Dr Angel Zhong told Yahoo Finance she expects Australia will become “functionally cashless” by 2030 due to consume...
Excerpt: RMIT associate professor of finance Dr Angel Zhong expects Australia will become 'functionally cashless' by 2030 due to consumer preferences
https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/a...-provide-cash-move-to-cashless-070803364.html
Share your support for cash mandate—National Seniors Australia
Cited text: Mandating cash for essential purchases, such as groceries and fuel, means those who rely on cash will not be left behind.” · The paper notes that cash...
Excerpt: The paper notes that cash continues to play an important role in maintaining social inclusion by helping ensure that community members without the ability to use digital payment methods can still participate in the economy
https://nationalseniors.com.au/news/featured-news/share-your-support-for-cash-mandate
Mandating cash acceptance Consultation paper December 2024
Cited text: Currently, there is no regulation that mandates businesses must accept cash as a means of payment.
Excerpt: currently there is no regulation that mandates businesses must accept cash as a means of payment, but the Government has announced an intention to mandate that businesses supplying essential goods and services must accept payment in cash,…
https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-12/c2024-604832-cp.pdf
Mandating cash acceptance Consultation paper December 2024
Cited text: The Government has announced an intention to mandate that businesses supplying essential goods · and services must accept payment in cash, with approp...
Excerpt: currently there is no regulation that mandates businesses must accept cash as a means of payment, but the Government has announced an intention to mandate that businesses supplying essential goods and services must accept payment in cash,…
https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-12/c2024-604832-cp.pdf
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