Residents launch campaign against council’s cashless policy

Thousands of residents have joined forces in a campaign to bring back cash payments after the tender was tossed out last year.

Thousands have joined a boisterous campaign to have a controversial cashless policy overturned after it was enacted last year without community consultation.

Youths, seniors and residents who prefer paying for a $2 coffee with cash have been silenced in Far North Queensland’s Cassowary Coast region, which introduced a cashless policy on July 1, 2022.

Following the success of the same policy being overturned in Cairns earlier this year, a group of residents has begun lobbying the council’s CEO Andrew Graffen to reintroduce cash.

Under the council’s cashless policy, it stopped accepting cash for all council facilities including the library and in-person payments at the council office.

Physical money has been refused for residents who attend council-organised events, the swimming pool – set to reopen after winter – and any every council-backed operation.

In lieu of cash, locals must pay using EFTPOS, Visa, MasterCard or Amex – a move more than 3000 locals feel will negatively affect how the community operates.

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

Tara Garozzo, event organiser for the Cassowary Coast Action Network – a task force dedicated to overturning the policy – said the move was enacted solely on the opinion of Mr Graffen and based on findings that only nine per cent of locals still used cash.

“There was huge backlash but the comments were ignored, and there was no consideration for the people who still rely on cash,” Ms Garozzo told news.com.au.

“There are elderly people who find it easier to budget when they pay their rates by cash every week or fortnight, but they can’t do that anymore and the council has just fobbed them off.”

Parents of kids too young for a bank card but mature enough to go to the library, pool and community events were also put in a difficult position.

“Are parents meant to send their kids out with their bank cards? Or load money onto a card for them?” Ms Garozzo questioned.

More than 100 local businesses have made the petition available to customers to sign, with Ms Garozzo revealing the cause had gained support from all walks of life.

“Even people who mostly pay with their card think people should at least have the option to pay with cash if they want to,” she said.

The petition has gained more than 3000 signatures in just over three weeks. Picture: Supplied

The region also was a cyclone zone and, as such, was susceptible to blackouts.

“You can’t pay for anything with a bank card when there is no power,” Ms Garozzo said.

She said it was “really important” to the community that it was given the option to pay for council goods and services with cash.

The Cassowary Coast Action Network planned to present its petition at the August council meeting and hoped the mayor and local members would agree to have the policy overturned.

A spokesperson for the council told news.com.au it was yet to receive the petition and when it did, the document would “be managed in accordance with Council’s Meeting Standing Orders and Procedures”.

“There are many ways for our customers to pay with Council, including in person using EFTPOS, via Council’s online portal, at Australia Post outlets, telephone banking or setting up direct debit for rates payments,” they said in a statement.

“Australia Post BillPay is available at over 3,500 Post Offices nationally with payments taken over the counter via cash, cheque, EFTPOS, credit card or debit card.

The petition will be presented to the council at its August meeting. Picture: Supplied

“Council has two administration centres to take payments over the counter, located in Tully and Innisfail. Council transitioned to BillPay to provide over-the-counter service, not just through the Australia Post offices located in Tully and Innisfail, but also through the Licensed Post Offices situated across the region including Mission Beach, Cardwell, El Arish, Silkwood and Mena Creek.”
Despite its stance on digital payments, the council said it was “not advocating for a cashless society and acknowledges cash as a legal tender”.

“However, council acknowledges the growing preference for the majority of our ratepayers. It is not within the remit of council to advocate for a cashless society and we do not presume to do so. We have considered the use of cash within council operations only.”

They added that during “natural disasters, council will be flexible and ensure emergency arrangements are in place during these periods”.

The spokesperson said the council was supportive of individuals, organisations and businesses having a “choice” on the matter, and had facilitated Australia Post arrangements for people who wanted to continue paying cash.

Ms Garozzo felt however the burden of accepting cash payments should lie with the council and not on Australia Post.