‘It’s wrong’: Student who refuses to accept cashless parking meter takes fine to court

This Aussie student is taking his $97 parking fine to court because he wasn’t given the option to pay cash at the meter.

A Wollongong student who refused to accept that a car park at his university had gone cashless is taking his $97 parking fine to court.

Oliver Griffiths has styled himself a “cash crusader” and in a video recently shared on Facebook, he outlined his plan to challenge his fine in a bid to push back against a society that’s increasingly rejecting cash payments.

“I’ve fallen victim to the incoming cashless society,” Mr Griffiths, dressed in a “cash is king” T-shirt, said.

He claimed that: “Last year, my university made parking only available through digital payment”.

“Instead of following along with the modern digital agenda, I left notes on my dashboard offering to pay in cash.”

Oliver Griffiths is railing against the movement towards a cashless society. Picture: Facebook

He was fined $97 for parking his car without a valid ticket. Picture: Facebook

The handwritten notes listed the student’s mobile number and asked the parking inspector to call him to organise cash payment for parking.

Unsurprisingly, the letters did not do the trick and Mr Griffiths was fined for parking without a ticket.

Businesses in Australia do not have to accept cash as a payment method, although according to the ACCC, they should make their accepted payment options clear to consumers.

In this case, Mr Griffiths claimed that at the time he received his fine, signage stating that payment could be made “by credit card or coins” was still visible in the car park.

“Cash is important as a choice for so many people - whether it be when the EFTPOS is down, you can’t use the technology or need to budget better,” Mr Griffiths told news.com.au.

He left notes on his dash explaining that he wanted to pay in cash. Picture: Facebook

“Cash is accessible and backed by the Government, so it should be accepted everywhere. I don’t see why it isn’t.

“I’ve taken this stand because I think it’s a pretty important issue. Sure, it’s only a minor parking matter but why should I be treated like a criminal simply because I want to do what so many people normally do - pay in cash!”

Mr Griffiths has recieved about $3,000 in donations towards his legal cause from people who support his cash crusade.
He is representing himself in court.

In the video, Mr Griffiths also outlined a number of pro-cash arguments popular with many Australians, including that cash protects an individual’s privacy and data, doesn’t incur bank fees and can make it easier to budget.

Some 1.5 million Australians still prefer using cash to digital payments but as many as one in four businesses no longer accept cash payments.

In response to the ever-shrinking options for those still attached to cash, almost 210,000 Australians recently signed a Cash Welcome petition calling for guarantees for “reasonable local access” to cash and banking services.

He claimed that at the time he was fined, this sign was still visible in the car park. Picture: A Current Affair/Nine

Cash made a big comeback around the pandemic, with cash use in Australia increasing by 22 per cent, or $19 billion, between March 2020 and December 2022, according to the Reserve Bank.

At the end of last year, the Albanese government unveiled a plan to protect cash as a payment method.

The cash mandate, which is expected to be brought in early 2026, will mean “essential” businesses will have to accept cash.

Among those that have made the essential list are supermarkets, pharmacies, dentists, GPs, hardware stores, insurers, pet stores, vets, service stations and mechanics.