Businesses will have to accept cash for essential services under proposed government mandate [Video]

The Albanese government says it will mandate that businesses must accept cash for essential items from 2026 while expanding on its plan to phase out cheques.

The proposal aims to ensure Australians who rely on cash, particularly during a natural disaster or digital outage, will still be able to make purchases.

Treasury will commence a consultation before the end of this year on how the mandate will work, including what constitutes an essential item and exceptions for small businesses.

It is likely essential items would include groceries and fuel and major businesses that would fall under the mandate would include supermarkets, banking services, petrol stations and healthcare services.

However, smaller businesses could be exempt from the legislation, depending on factors including the size of the business and the proximity of the …