Calls for cash to remain king in Australia

Australia should follow in Ireland's footsteps to ensure consumers can access and use cash, a lobbying group says.

Ireland is mandating cash acceptance by supermarkets and pharmacies.

There is only one way to ensure cash is widely available to everyone who needs it - by forcing large and important retailers to accept cash, says Jason Bryce, spokesperson for the Cash Welcome campaign..

This cost-free initiative sends a signal that Australia is not going cashless and the banking and retail industries must act to support the distribution of cash, the organisation says.

"Australia must follow Ireland, France, [countries in] Europe and many states and cities in the USA and mandate cash acceptance," says Bryce. "Already too many people are having trouble accessing and using cash.

"The cash industry is in crisis because of the uncertainty around the future of cash in Australia.

"There is only one way to guarantee a strong cash distribution system - and that is to ensure that cash is widely available and used in the community.

"Retailers selling food and essential groceries must accept cash to ensure that everyone is included in our economy and all communities have cash available when required."

See https://www.change.org/BankingAndCashGuarantee