Aussie student takes on ‘cashless society’ in court – and loses: ‘You’re a criminal when you want to use cash in this country’
A young law student has lost his legal battle after disputing a parking fine, declaring that ‘cash is no longer king’.
Oliver Griffiths, who is studying law at the University of Wollongong, received a $97 fine in July after parking his car on campus.
The uni changed its parking policy last year, introducing digital parking machines that accept card-only payments.
However, Mr Griffiths claimed there was signage visible in the car park stating that payment could be made with ‘credit card or coins’ at the time he received the fine.
At the time, he said he had ‘fallen victim to the incoming cashless society’.
The cash crusader left a handwritten note on the dash of his Ford Capri, explaining he was happy to organise a cash payment for the parking.
He left a $10 note next to the message and also provided his phone number for the parking inspector to call so he could organise payment.
But Mr Griffiths was still fined for parking without a ticket.
Oliver Griffiths received a $97 fine after parking on his university campus without a ticket
Mr Griffiths argued cash was a legal tender in Australia and at the time he received the fine, there were signs stating payment could be made via card or coins (pictured, a note Mr Griffiths left on his car)
He tried to fight the case in court but was defeated and described the result as ‘just sad’.
‘It was always going to be a David and Goliath story and unfortunately Goliath won this one,’ Mr Griffiths said.
‘Cash is no longer king but we’re not going to stop here. We’re going to fight to put for a cash mandate, we’re going to fight to ensure cash options are accessible.’
Mr Griffiths said he only had to pay $85 for his case to be heard in court, but the taxpayer forked out a lot more.
‘It was brought up in my sentencing by the prosecutor that this trial cost thousands of dollars.
‘You’re a criminal when you want to use cash in this country.’
Magistrate David Williams fined Mr Griffiths $110, with an additional $13 added for taking the matter to court and using court resources.
‘I accept you wanted to pay cash, but there is no evidence you rang the parking inspector HQ, no evidence you went to the main office and asked to pay in cash, and no evidence you decided to park elsewhere,’ Mr Williams said, reported in the Daily Telegraph.
‘If you can’t pay, don’t park there.’
It comes as an estimated 1.5million Australians still prefer to use cash over digital payments, despite one in four businesses no longer accepting cash.
Currently, cash makes up about 10 per cent of all transactions, with projections suggesting it could fall to just seven per cent by 2030.
Last year, the Albanese government announced a cash mandate would come into force on January 1, 2026, requiring businesses to offer customers a cash option.
