Cash Distribution Framework Bill 2026, Cash Distribution Framework (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2026

Ms JARRETT (Brisbane) (19:24): I remember when I started my first paid job. I was babysitting or pouring tea at the local church event. I then progressed to working at the supermarket and then the hospital.

I always got a pay packet, and it always had notes and coins in it—predominantly notes, thank goodness! I'd take out what I needed for the week to buy my groceries or pay my rent, and I usually needed a little bit of that for some fun on the weekend. When I had the time, I raced to the bank to deposit what I had left over.

Today, though, many of us don't use the amount of cash that we used to. But cash is still extremely important to every Australian, regardless of where they live, how old they are or how they choose to pay for their everyday purchases. As the saying goes, 'cash is king'.

That may sound counterintuitive, especially when, for many Australians, our pay is automatically deposited into our accounts. We tap our phone card. We pay with our watches.

All of this is becoming second nature. Digital payments are fast. They're convenient, and they're increasingly common.

But, despite this technological change, cash does remain essential. For older Australians, people living in regional and remote communities, vulnerable people escaping family, domestic and financial abuse, and anyone caught in a power outage or a telecommunications failure, cash is not old-fashioned; it is essential. It's essential for our local schools and charities who fundraise—selling cakes, homemade gifts and raffle tickets—or for the little local entrepreneur who might be selling lemonade at the roadside.

The Albanese government recognises this. Rather than allowing Australians to drift towards becoming a cashless society, our government has acted to ensure Australians continue to have access to notes and coins for essential purchases. That's why—and we heard this earlier tonight—we've introduced Australia's first national cash acceptance mandate.

From 1 January this year, most major supermarkets and fuel retailers are legally required to accept cash for in-person purchases of up to $500. The rules apply between normal hours, 7 am to 9 pm, with exemptions for many genuinely small businesses. This reform sends a clear message: cash remains legal tender, and Australians who choose to use it should not be excluded from buying life's essentials.

Our approach is practical. This government understands that digital payments are growing rapidly. Most Australians now pay electronically most of the time, and Labor is not trying to reverse technological progress.

Instead, we're making sure that progress doesn't leave people behind, and that reflects the really important Labor value of 'no-one left behind'. Economic modernisation should improve people's lives, not create new forms of disadvantage. For many Australians, cash isn't simply a preference; it's how they budget.

There are some who still do what I did when I first started work. Many households deliberately withdraw a weekly amount of cash. They know what they've got to spend, and it helps them manage their budget and their spending.

Using notes and coins allows families to avoid overspending and stay within a budget. Labor recognises that people should remain free to manage their finances in a way that works best for them, and the reforms also recognise that Australia's payment system must remain resilient. In recent years, we've all experienced technological failures, bank outages, internet failures, power blackouts and natural disasters.

It was only a month ago that the entire Telstra network, pretty much, went down. This affected everyone from the joggers who were out on their morning run trying to buy a coffee afterwards to the Uber drivers who were taking people to the airports and were wanting to use their platforms and get paid and elderly residents who might be lining up at the chemist to buy their essential medicines.

So many more jobs and ways of working and living were affected. When electronic payment systems fail, cash continues to work. There's no internet requirement, no mobile signal, no battery and no software update required.

Cash provides an important back-up during emergencies. Labor's reforms help ensure Australians can continue purchasing food and fuel even when digital systems experience disruptions. These reforms are particularly important for regional Australia.

Many rural communities still experience unreliable telecommunications. The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Ms Scrymgour ): Member for Brisbane, you'll have leave to continue your remarks tomorrow.