Councillor Brooke Patterson pushes for aquatic centre revamp to accept cash from visitors

Residents are petitioning to reintroduce cash at council facilities like pools and HOTA, despite the fit-out and operations costs likely to blow out to $3 million. Read what council said

Residents are petitioning council to reintroduce cash services at facilities like pools and HOTA despite a warning that it could cost the City $3 million.

Gold Coast City Council has been asked by 6550 petitioners “to reinstate and continue accepting cash payments at all council facilities” including swimming pools, sports facilities, libraries, refuge centres and council offices.

A report reveals fit-out costs for these centres to reinstate cash acceptance are estimated to reach $2,354,000.

“In addition to the fit-out costs, operational costs are estimated to be $846,549 per annum,” the report said.

Governance chair Brooke Patterson is pushing for cash services at aquatic centres but councillors at her committee were concerned about the costs.

Councillor Brooke Patterson (pictured bottom right) is supporting petitioners who want cash services reintroduced at Gold Coast City Council.

Councillors were unanimous in opposing the move but they agreed on officers preparing another report on costing after being told CCTV cameras and safes in special rooms at pools could cost about $150,000.

The committee debated for more than an hour about the reintroduction of cash services at council’s four pools including the new Palm Beach aquatic centre, bringing their centres in line with the four other privately managed facilities.

Councillor Joe Wilkinson said he would need more information on the numbers, asking if council was “trying to appease a minority” when fewer people were using cash.

Ms Patterson admitted “it is a really tricky one if you look at it purely from a financial and logistical perspective”.

“However, we are a local government and here to provide services to the community,” she said.

The Refurbished Palm Beach Aquatic Centre opens its doors. Picture Glenn Campbell.

Deputy Mayor Donna Gates asked officers whether aquatic centres were having declining attendances, given they were cashless.

Officers said visitation at all centres had increased by 10 per cent in the past three years.

Ms Gates said the council was the second largest local authority in Australia, regarded as a “progressive city” which had just undergone a restructure to create efficiencies.

“People almost always have a debit card now,” she said.

Only two people in four years had complained about the Upper Coomera pool being cashless, she added.

Ms Patterson told the Bulletin the officer report had failed to identify “the modest impost” of accepting cash at aquatic centres.

“That’s why the committee unanimously supported a further report that clarifies that. When governments don’t accept cash, it may accelerate the move to a cashless society. That means there is an ideological as well as financial consideration for us,” she said.

“Our obligation is to meet the needs of our ratepayers and that includes value for money as well as the services they need.”

The main swimming pool, completed at the Pimpama Sports Hub.

CASH FACTS — RESEARCH TELLS US:

* Cash as payment has been rapidly declining since 2007, with that trend soaring since Covid.

* The City temporarily ceased accepting cash payments in response to the pandemic in 2020 at major sporting venues, aquatic centres, libraries, waste and recycling centres and landfills, car parks and tourist parks.

* Cash payments at Customer Service Centres accounted for 0.61 per cent of overall payment, costing the City between $12.80 and $16.60.

* Almost 9000 of those payments are being made by 1959 individual customers.

* Reserve Bank Australia data shows in 2022 cash payments accounted for 13 per cent of consumer payments, continuing a downward trend.

* Card payments accounted for 75 per cent of consumer payments, with the trend for the use of debit card increasing at a rate higher than credit cards.

* The remaining 12 per cent of consumer payments are from methods such as BPAY, internet and phone banking, PayPal and buy now, pay later (BNPL).

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Originally published as Councillor Brooke Patterson pushes for aquatic centre revamp to accept cash from visitors