CASHLESS SOCIETY IS CLAIMING VICTIMS
JOAN Boyle says the move towards a cashless society is claiming its first victims. The Dubbo pensioner is concerned her freedoms and way of life are at risk and says COVID-19 is allowing many of those freedoms to be taken away.
Mrs Boyle was brought up to value money and only buy things when she had the cash to pay, now she believes that very way of life is under threat.
“I went out to the zoo and went to renew my Zoo Friends membership and I put the money on the counter, and they wouldn’t take it. Then, I thought I’ll use my chequebook and the staff member asked if they could take my cheque and she was told ‘no’, they wouldn’t take a cheque,” Mrs Boyle told Dubbo Photo News.
Things were about to be become even more frustrating.
“While I was standing there waiting for information, I thought I’d go and get something to eat, but oh no, you can’t pay by cash, it’s all card and I don’t have a card,” she said.
“There’s a lot of older ladies and men that are in the same situation. We’ve paid cash all our lives and it is legal tender.
“A friend and I were out another time and decided we wanted a curry pie and they wouldn’t take his money and he came out and I asked what happened and he told me they wouldn’t take cash.”
Taronga Western Plains Zoo has supplied Dubbo Photo News with information surrounding the cash issue.
“We are not accepting cash at this current time due to COVID-19 safety restrictions,” a spokesperson said.
“This is displayed at the registers as well as being noted in the changes to the Zoo’s operation on our website. Due to the current COVID-19 safety restrictions, all visitors are required to purchase tickets online and attend the Zoo on their selected date only.
“Tickets are not be available for purchase at the gate. Zoo Friend members also need to register their visit online prior to their selected date they wish to visit the Zoo.
“We are unable to accommodate cash payments as we are only accepting cashless payments such as credit card or debit cards at this time.”
The zoo spokesperson said that despite a very busy time over the recent school holidays, there were only a handful of people who’d wanted to pay with cash.
Mrs Boyle said she understands that concerns around COVID-19 transmissions have forced businesses and organisations to regulate things that used to be simple everyday acts to protect themselves, their staff and their customers.
She believes there needs to be a way to include people who’ve only ever paid with folding money and want to continue doing things that way.
“Older people are used to paying by money and I’m that way because when you pay by money you can look and see how much you’ve got left in your purse or wallet,” she said.
“I’ve seen younger people in supermarkets and they grab this and that and they get to the checkout and tap the card, they don’t get a receipt, they’ve got no idea what they’ve paid – they’re going to find themselves in trouble, aren’t they?”
She pointed to the disaster that befell Sweden, a nation that is often referred to as the most cashless country in the world.
Sweden decided to let the market dictate the demand for cash so businesses were able to refuse cash and banks could pull out ATMS and end cash services at branches, but according to the Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association (CPSA), the rapid pace of this transition caused a major backlash.
Older people and people with disabilities in particular struggled with the quick change, with many unable to do their normal shopping because they had nowhere to withdraw cash, according to the CPSA which also says the experience has prompted a new Swedish law that requires banks to provide a minimal level of cash withdrawal services.
“Australia must learn from the mistakes of Sweden – cash must stay, it should happen here as well,” Mrs Boyle said.
“Look at the supermarkets, you can pay cash there and they’re handling the food you eat – there’s so much inconsistency in all the regulations?
“I personally think that they just want to make this a cashless society so they can say you do this, you do that. I’m one that doesn’t like being told you do this, or you do that.”
She’s worried that having no access to cash means banks could freeze people’s money and citizens could be left helpless.
“I can’t use a computer. It’s not that I’m stupid, the lessons just don’t stay in my mind, and when you get older it’s more difficult to pick things up,” she said.
“All the competitions these days, they all think that everybody’s got a computer and many older people are being excluded in that area and now with cash.
“If you’re working with computers and digital money and you’ve been brought up with it, it’s fine, I’ve got no problems there, but when you haven’t (been brought up with it), it’s very difficult.”
Parkes MP Mark Coulton says there’s no laws against a business refusing to accept cash for goods and services and told Dubbo Photo News that businesses are within their rights to set the commercial terms upon which payment will take place before the ‘contract’ for supply of goods or services is entered into.
“I note that many local businesses in the Parkes electorate have moved towards accepting card-only payments as they work to minimise interaction between employees and customers during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr Coulton said.
“It’s important we work with those businesses who are doing their best to limit physical contact to keep us all safe.”
He said people who need clarification on particular financial matters should obtain appropriate legal advice.