Ampol's cashless expansion puts Perth drivers at odds with national cash mandate

Ampol has announced plans to triple its cashless U-Go network and has secured a five-year exemption from Australia's new cash mandate, according to perthnow.com.au. The move has been labelled 'un-Australian' by critics who argue it undermines the intent of recent government policy to protect cash access.

For Perth drivers, Ampol's expansion of cashless sites means fewer options to pay with physical currency at the bowser. Ampol operates a significant presence at Perth service stations and petrol stops, so the shift will affect not just inner-city commuters but also regional drivers passing through or based in outer suburbs. Motorists without cards or digital payment methods, including older residents and those with limited banking access, may find themselves squeezed out.

The exemption Ampol has secured highlights a broader tension between the fuel industry's push toward digital payments and government efforts to maintain cash as a viable payment method. For Perth's transport sector and everyday drivers, the outcome will determine whether choice at the pump remains genuine or becomes increasingly restricted to cardholders.

Sources: perthnow.com.au.

This article was compiled by AI from the sources linked above and screened before publishing. See our editorial standards.