This may look like a typical Australia Post… but a decision behind these doors has left Aussies fuming: ‘What a joke’

An Australia Post post office that refuses to accept or dispense physical cash has sparked outrage, with locals questioning how this essential service can refuse legal tender.

The Post Office in Manly on Sydney’s Northern Beaches only offers digital payments via phone or card. An angry customer shared a photo on social media last week of a conspicuous sign outside the store declaring it ‘cashless’.

“Not cool for a basic service, many clients with disabilities still use cash,” one person replied, adding that he/she worked for an organization that supports people with disabilities.

Other commentators agreed with some who said it should be mandatory to accept cash, as Australia Post is a government company and there are few alternatives to the services provided by a physical post office.

“So those who go to the store that way to pay their bills can no longer do so?” someone asked.

“What a joke… now you have to pay extra to buy a stamp,” said another.

‘What I don’t like about this and places like Luna Park is having to hand my credit card to my kids when they go… with the new math curriculum most of them wouldn’t know how to use change either,’ added a third.

“Boycotted… I’m going to spend it on something else, no more little boards or games for the kids,” a fourth chimed in.

Australia Post reported that its Manly post office had been relocated from Central Avenue to Raglan Street after suffering water damage. The size of the new premises required a streamlined approach to cash handling.

“Australia Post has more than 4,200 post offices across the country, with Manly being one of the few branches that does not accept cash payments,” a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

‘The move to a cashless format in Manly came after the previous location was damaged by flooding in 2022 and subsequently relocated to a smaller retail space.

‘All nearby post offices accept cash, including Balgowlah and Freshwater.’

In April last year, the company held a community information meeting and distributed letters explaining that the transition to cashless payments would not happen in other stores.

“We carefully consider customer demand before making decisions and are always looking for new and efficient ways to do things that benefit both the customer and the community,” the letter said.

‘Australia Post will not be abolishing the use of cash as a means of payment at post offices outside Manly.’

Australians have increasingly embraced digital ‘tap-and-go’ payments in recent years, with new research showing that physical cash will disappear from circulation within a decade.

Lance Blockley, an independent payments markets expert, estimates that traditional cash will account for less than 4 percent of total U.S. retail spending by 2025.

Australia Post said other stores will still use cash and the Manly store was a one-off

His research predicted that online shopping would continue to increase its market share in retail and that the preference for debit and credit cards over cash at physical points of sale would remain strong.

Mr Blockley, director of consultancy The Initiatives Group, said in a statement to the ACCC that the percentage of banknotes used for all purposes, not just retail, will reach 10.2 per cent by 2025, down from 24.2 per cent in 2019.

The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated a transition that was already underway, with consumers moving to contactless payments and online shopping much more frequently, he said.

Reserve Bank data shows the number of cash payments in Australia fell by about half between 2009 and 2019, a period when tap-and-go RFID chips on cards became widespread.