Community
24 April, 2023
Cashless payments backdown
THE cashless payments policy across Cairns Regional Council’s facilities imposed in July last year was reversed at last Wednesday’s ordinary meeting by unanimous decision.
Nearly 100 residents opposing the cashless policy attended the meeting.
In July last year the council began the transition to cashless payments at transfer stations, buy back shops and libraries aiming to minimise contact and reduce health risks like COVID-19.
Many Cairns residents strongly opposed the decision, including Frankie Hogan, of Mooroobool, who started a petition for the council to reverse the decision, gathering more than 5000 signatures.
The petition claimed the decision was made by council’s CEO Mica Martin on behalf of Mayor Bob Manning and therefore it should be reversed.
“It’s discriminatory, a lot of elderly people and kids use cash, and if they go to the library and they want to have a drink or make a copy they had to pay by card. Who’s going to give a 12-year-old a card just to do something small like that?” Ms Hogan said.
Cr Brett Olds made strong arguments in support of residents.
