Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
By Andrew Willcox MP Federal Member for Dawson
Imagine walking into a chemist with a $50 note to buy medication, only to be told your money isn't accepted.
It's Australian currency. You've earned it. Yet a business can refuse it.
That doesn't sit right with me, and I suspect it doesn't sit right with most Australians.
Cash is not some outdated relic. For many people across Dawson, particularly older Australians, pensioners and those living in regional communities, it's an essential part of everyday life.
That's why I'm backing the Coalition's Cash is King Bill 2026, which would give Australians a practical legal right to pay with cash.
Most people would be surprised to learn that Labor's cash rules only apply to supermarkets and fuel stations, for purchases of $500 or less, between 7am and 9pm.
If you can use cash to buy groceries, why can't you use it to buy medicine, clothes or a meal from other large businesses too?
The Coalition's legislation would extend cash acceptance to major retailers, lift the transaction limit to $2,000, remove the time restrictions and require Commonwealth agencies to accept cash for eligible counter payments.
Importantly, businesses turning over less than $10 million annually would be exempt. We're not interested in piling more red tape onto small businesses already doing it tough.
And there's another reason this matters enormously in North Queensland.
When a cyclone hits, the power goes out or telecommunications fail, your bank card can become useless. We've seen firsthand how quickly essential services can be disrupted. Cash provides a practical backup when electronic payment systems aren't working.
It's also about keeping costs down.
Every time someone is forced to tap a card, that’s another cost to small business. Cash gives consumers an alternative without a card surcharge.
Around 1.5 million Australians rely on cash for most of their purchases. They shouldn't be treated as an inconvenience simply because the world is becoming increasingly digital.
Nobody is suggesting we abandon electronic payments. I use them myself.
But convenience should never come at the expense of choice.
Whether you're buying groceries in Mackay, medication in Bowen, ag supplies in the Burdekin or clothes in Townsville, you should have the freedom to decide how you pay.
It's your money. It should be your choice.
Cash is king, and the Coalition intends to keep it that way.
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