Woman’s $50 note rant resonates with thousands as cash rebellion grows

A Melbourne woman’s rant to her local newspaper about the dangers of moving to a cashless society has resonated with thousands of Aussies online.

Thousands of Australians have praised a woman who penned a letter to her local newspaper warning about the dangers of moving towards a cashless society.

In a letter to The Age in mid-June titled ‘Note the logic’, a Melbourne woman named Julie Christensen revealed why she preferred to use banknotes.

“If some people want to rely solely on digital financial transactions, let them. But don’t take away cash for the rest of us,” she wrote.

“My $50 note can’t be hacked. If I’m robbed, I lose $50, not my entire life savings. If my $50 note is accidentally immersed in water, it still works.”

Her letter then took aim at the faults or perceived impracticalities of digital banking by phone.

“My $50 note doesn’t need batteries, it can’t be “out of range”, and it won’t break if it’s dropped. If the system is down, I can still use my note,” Ms Christensen continued.

“My $50 note can be put into a charity box or given to a homeless person.

“Sure I use a card sometimes for large purchases, but for everything else, please leave me the option of cash. It simplifies life.”

A letter to the editor in The Age has resonated with tens of thousands of Australians. Picture: Facebook

The letter resonated with tens of thousands and was splashed across social media where it quickly went viral.

Almost 10,000 people shared the photo on Facebook, with hundreds writing “well said” and “totally agree” in the comments section.

In another act of defiance, “Pay Cash Only” flyers have circulated among tens of thousands on Twitter and Facebook, which call for no digital or card payments between July 3 and 10.

Pay Cash Only flyers are circulating online. Picture: Twitter

The letter and cash campaign come as banks, business and even local councils posture towards a move away from cash.

Earlier this week, a Queensland mum claimed to have cut ties with her bank after being told she couldn’t withdraw cash from her local branch.

Brisbane woman Taryn Comptyn revealed she had visited her local branch to withdraw $3,500 to pay for renovations on her home.

When she arrived, she realised she had forgotten her bank card, so she went inside in a bid to withdraw the lump sum using a teller.

But she was shocked to learn that tellers had no access to cash whatsoever and that the only way to withdraw funds was via the ATM.

“If you can’t get your own money from a branch, what’s the point of a bank?” she told Today.

Efforts to promote a cashless society have recently increased by Australian banks forging partnerships with fintech (financial technology) start-ups and encouraging regional communities to embrace cashless events.

Bank bosses stated their positions on the trend at the Australian Financial Review Editors Forum in April.

A controversial cashless policy was implemented without community consultation in Far North Queensland’s Cassowary Coast region, which was ill-received across the last year.

Cassowary Coast residents are lobbying to have cash returned as a payment option for council facilities. Picture: Supplied

The policy, which came into effect on July 1, 2022, prevents residents from using cash for payments, including at council facilities, events, and services.

But over 3,000 locals believe this policy harms the community, with critics arguing the policy disregards the needs of elderly residents who rely on cash for budgeting and parents of children who are too young for bank cards but require access to council amenities.

The council offered multiple payment options, including EFTPOS, online portals, telephone banking, and Australia Post outlets.

“There was huge backlash, but the comments were ignored, and there was no consideration for the people who still rely on cash,” said Tara Garozzo, event organiser for the Cassowary Coast Action Network.