Cash is King! at Cassowary Coast event in Innisfail

residents to conduct business with Council and the benefits include improved hygiene, reducing cash handling and improved security."

CCRC advised residents that their rates could still be paid with cash at Australia Post outlets.

This decision created angst among the Cassowary Coast community, and residents banded together, formed a group and created a paper and online petition.

Distribution of a paper petition took place at over 110 businesses throughout the region.

and the local community proved instrumental in reversing this decision.

CRC councillors voted on this matter, and with just under 5,000 signature-petition and over 200 residents showing up at the meeting, they voted unanimously to reinstate cash.

Cassowary Coast is second off the bat, Australia-wide, hoping it will inspire others to follow suit and act.

Federal and State members Bob Katter and Shane Knuth, guest speakers, have thrown their support behind the petition.

Some residents cannot use online payment methods, nor do they wish to use credit/debit cards to make payments, so cash payments are far easier and have stacks of advantages.

"Cash is easy to use, there are no hidden fees, it helps reduce/avoid debt and interest, with cash accepted everywhere."

"The usage of cash reduces impulsive purchases, provides privacy, eliminates credit balances, limits hacking risks and reduces technology problems.

Mr Katter stated, "As it stands, cash is legal tender. This is a frightening pathway to go down as when your money is in the bank, the bank has control over it, but with cash you have control."

Banks and electronic money, they decide whether you receive credit or not and decide how you spend your money."

In areas like the Cassowary Coast, which are cyclone prone and loss of power, so cash is essential when EFPTOS facilities are down."

STORY AND PHOTOS BY MARIA GIRGENTI

ON Sunday, over 200 people attended a Cassowary Coast Bring Back Cash event at ANZAC Park, Innisfail, organised by the newly launched Cassowary Coast Action Network (CCAN).

CCAN is a team of 15 who are passionate about the region, collaborate between residents and local businesses and are proactive in making positive changes for the community.

In April 2022, CCRC's social media page stated that as of July 1, 2022, they "will no longer accept payments by cash or cheque at their Customer Service centres and other Council-run facilities."

"Moving towards cashless provides safer ways for

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 reinstated at all CCRC facilities.

Since then, the petition has gained momentum with over 3,000 signatures, and CCAN hopes CCRC will table this issue, so the elected councillors can then vote.

Guest speaker, Cairns Regional Division 9 councillor Brett Olds, spoke about how local government works, and how cash was reinstated at CRC and how this outcome was achieved.

Guest speaker 'Triccy' Triddy, from Brisbane, who started The People's Revolution, attended along with Frankie Hogan and Birgit Ariane, two of the main drivers for reinstating cash back into Cairns Regional Council.

In 2019, the Cairns Regional Council (CRC) CEO decided to go cashless; however, a petition