As I'm sure is the case with other Councils across the country, the Gold Coast City Council has stopped accepting cash for payments at customer service centres, aquatic centres, waste management centres, libraries, major sporting venues and off street parking for starters.

Many people, particularly the elderly, do not use credit or debit cards for various reasons, so cash usually remains their only means of payment in many cases, particularly for those who are unable to make online payments. Imagine visiting the local tip with a load of rubbish only to be told you have to go online to make payment before you can leave the rubbish. This decision discriminates against those who choose not to make payment electronically for whatever reason and forces them to open credit cards where they can be exposed to fees and liability if used illegally if stolen for example.

Whilst there has always been the situation where card payments cannot be accepted such as inability to access the website, lack of funds etc, cash has always been a backup. But government demanding electronic payment is just one more surrender of individual rights.

Government agencies are a monopoly. Whereas a person can choose to dine at another restaurant if one refuses payment by cash, citizens can only deal with one government agency. This refusal is effectively a breach of monopolistic powers.

But cash is LEGAL TENDER.

Whilst government, particularly the Australian Taxation Office, encourages the use of payments by card as it helps reduce the incidence of tax evading " black money " in the economy, this is not an issue for receipts by government agencies.

I'm calling on the Prime Minister as head of the Commonwealth government to make it illegal for any government agency at any level be it Commonwealth, State or Local to refuse to accept cash which is legal tender in payment for any debt to the agency.