‘We want cash back’

Ratepayers call on Cassowary council to reverse payments policy

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| Nick Dalton

CASSOWARY Coast residents are putting pressure on the regional council to reverse a decision of refusing to accept cash for payments.

They are hoping the council will follow Cairns Regional Council which reversed its decision with a win for people power in April.

The council’s website says from July 1, 2022, the local government “will no longer accept payments by cash or cheque at our customer service centres and other council run facilities.”

The petition reads: “This decision impacts our youth, the vulnerable, is discriminative, unpractical, undemocratic and controlling … we the undersigned residents petition to the Cassowary Coast Regional Council that cash payments (legal tender) be re-instated at all CCRC facilities.”

Eubenangee resident and petitioner Karen Benn said following a 5000-signature petition, neighbouring Cairns council opted to return cash at its facilities in April, after beginning its transition towards electronic transactions in 2019, and she was hopeful a similar outcome could be achieved further south.

Dr Benn said volunteers who were distributing petition forms were being treated “like rockstars” in each Cassowary Coast town, where the forms were now available at pubs, cafes, service stations, bakeries and most small businesses.

“Our fear is if our government is doing this, other businesses might follow. But it should always be our choice.

“The council might tell us only 9 per cent of people are using cash, but if you look through their statements they’re hammering diversity and inclusiveness in all departments, so is it OK to discriminate against that 9 per cent?

“I know people with disabilities who can work with cash, they know what they’re doing, but they’re unable to operate computers and cards, and the elderly are the same.”

Dr Benn said the petition started with one person – Sharron Haddock.

“Then it grew with willing volunteers in a week. We now have 12 volunteer team members spread out across the region who have already collected over 1000 signatures,” she said.

Dr Benn said the Cassowary

Coast was a high risk disaster zone and after losing power when a cyclone hit people only had cash to buy necessities for days.

She said the council was not representing the people and the decision was not voted on by councillors.

Kattar’s Australian Party MP Bob Katter is backing the petition.

He recently fought to keep the Westpac branch open at Tully, as well as Ingham and Cloncurry, and said he strongly opposed the removal of cash transactions from communities.

“As it stands, cash is legal tender,” Mr Katter said. “This is a scary pathway to be moving down, because when your money is in the bank, the bank controls it, not you.

With cash, you control it.

Mr Katter said he urged the CCRC to listen to its residents and reverse its decision of going cashless.

A council spokeswoman said there were many ways for customers to pay the council, including in person using EFTPOS via the council’s online portal, at Australia Post outlets, telephone banking or setting up direct debit for rates payments.

She said Australia Post BillPay was available at 12 Australia Post offices throughout the Cassowary Coast with payments taken over the counter via cash, cheque, EFTPOS, credit card or debit card and the Innisfail and Tully administration centres to take payments over the counter.

“Council is not advocating for a cashless society and