Australians would have a legal right to pay with cash for everyday purchases under new legislation being introduced by The Nationals.
Shadow Minister for Financial Services, Kevin Hogan, has announced The Nationals will introduce the Cash is King Bill 2026 to protect the right to use cash.
Mr Hogan said most Australians assume they already have a right to pay with cash. They don’t. There is currently no general right to pay with cash at the point of sale.
Labor’s limited cash rules only cover supermarkets and fuel stations, purchases of $500 or less, and transactions between 7am and 9pm.
Our Bill will go further, giving Australians a practical right to use cash across most of the in-person economy, while protecting small businesses.
Under The Nationals’ Bill, we will:
• Expand cash acceptance to major retailers, including chemists, hardware stores, department stores, restaurants and fast-food chains;
• Require Commonwealth agencies to accept cash for eligible over-the-counter payments, so government follows the rules it expects of businesses;
• Lift the transaction limit from $500 to $2,000 and remove the 7am to 9pm restriction; and
• Protect small businesses by exempting businesses with annual turnover below $10 million, providing exemptions for genuine safety risks, and prioritising education over fines for medium-sized businesses.
It’s estimated the Bill will cover more than 80 per cent of in-person retail transactions.
Mr Hogan said Labor’s cash mandate falls well short of what Australians expect.
“Around 1.5 million Australians rely on cash for most of what they buy. But Labor’s rules leave out essential goods like medicines, clothing and hardware supplies.” Mr Hogan said.
“If you walk into a shop with a fifty-dollar note, you shouldn’t be turned away. That shouldn’t be controversial.”
“If you can use cash to buy groceries, why can’t you use it to buy medicine, clothes, or a meal?”
“In my own community, I’ve seen what happens when the system goes down. When the floods hit the Northern Rivers, cash was the only thing that worked. That’s exactly why it needs to be protected.”
“We’ve been careful to protect small business. We don’t want to add red tape for small businesses. If a business faces a genuine security risk, it’s exempt. This is about the big businesses where most Australians do their shopping every day – businesses that aren’t covered by Labor’s rules.”
“Instead of its credit card debacle, the government could have backed cash as a simple way to pay without a surcharge. Cash is the ultimate check on payment fees.”
“Australians should be able to choose how they pay, without being forced into a cashless economy.”
“Cash is king – and under the Coalition we won’t see it overthrown.”
