This bill is currently before Parliament.
Budget, tax & economy
Major cash transport and processing companies could be regulated if they play a significant role in keeping cash available.
Daniel Mulino (Labor) said falling cash use was making storage, processing and transport less financially sustainable. He said harder access would particularly affect regional communities, older Australians, small businesses and people needing cash during emergencies. The government also wanted to support its cash acceptance rule, which requires certain fuel and grocery retailers to accept in-person cash payments up to $500 between 7am and 9pm.
Australia already required certain fuel and grocery retailers to accept cash for eligible in-person purchases from 1 January 2026, but falling cash use was putting pressure on the economics of wholesale distribution and few safeguards existed for critical services. After regulators consulted in July 2025, Treasury consulted on exposure draft legislation in April and May 2026, and the government introduced this bill through Daniel Mulino MP on 2 July 2026 to give the ACCC and RBA enforceable standards, dispute-resolution and crisis powers to keep cash available and support the existing acceptance mandate.
The evidence pack contains no opposition or crossbench speech, so it does not establish any named criticism from the parliamentary debate.
Daniel Mulino MP introduced this bill. Supportive speeches so far have come from Labor.
Did it become law?
Not yet
Final passage
No final vote yet
The bill has not yet completed passage through Parliament.
Days since introduction
36 days
Updated 07 Aug 2026.
Meaning
Major cash transport and processing companies could be regulated if they play a significant role in keeping cash available.
Businesses buying cash services could use contract terms approved by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the national competition watchdog.
Businesses in contract disputes could ask the competition watchdog to appoint an independent decision-maker to settle unresolved terms.
Businesses using cash services could receive minimum standards covering price, availability, speed, timing and location.
Communities facing a cash-service crisis could be protected through Reserve Bank directions or temporary management of a critical provider.
Customers relying on a provider in crisis could keep receiving services after its shares, assets or business move to another company.
People and businesses relying on critical cash services could be supported by up to $400 million in government funding during a crisis.
14 Designation of entity by Reserve Bank (1) The Reserve Bank may, by legislative instrument, designate a body corporate under this section if: (a) the body corporate is a constitutional corporation; and (b) the body corporate carries on a business of providing cash distribution services in Australia; and (c) the Reserve Bank considers that: (i) the body corporate provides cash distribution services that support a significant part of the cash distribution system; or (ii) a disruption to the body corporate’s operations would be likely to threaten continuity in the functioning of the cashCash Distribution Framework introduced text
34 Approved standard terms Approved standard terms of a designated entity are standard terms for which: (a) the entity has an approval that is in force under this Division; or (b) a determination in relation to the entity is in force under Subdivision D. Subdivision B—Applications for approval 35 Requirement to apply for approval of standard terms Designated entity must apply for approval of standard terms (1) A designated entity must apply to the ACCC for approval of standard terms for cash distribution services or facilities access, regardless of whether the entity has previously madeCash Distribution Framework introduced text
51 Request for appointment of arbitrator (1) A party to a dispute may request the ACCC to appoint an arbitrator for the dispute. (2) If the other party agrees to the making of the request, the request may be for the appointment of a particular arbitrator agreed on by the parties. Requirements for request (3) A request for the appointment of an arbitrator for a dispute must be made in writing, and set out the following information: (a) the names of the parties to the dispute; (b) the nature of the dispute; (c) what terms of a proposed service agreement or access agreement, or proposed vaCash Distribution Framework introduced text
63 Service‑level standards (1) The ACCC may, by legislative instrument, determine standards (service‑level standards) relating to the provision of cash distribution services or facilities access in Australia by: (a) one or more specified designated entities; or (b) a specified class of designated entities; or (c) all designated entities. (2) Without limiting the matters to which the service‑level standards may relate, those matters include the following: (a) the availability, frequency, speed, timeliness or location of cash distribution services or facilities access; (b) pricing relatinCash Distribution Framework introduced text
89 Simplified outline of this Part The Reserve Bank may take actions under this Part that are appropriate to manage or respond to a designated entity in crisis. A designated entity is in crisis if certain conditions are met in relation to the entity (see section 90). These conditions relate to acts or events that are likely to pose a threat to the ability of the designated entity to continue to provide one or more cash distribution services that are critical to the availability of cash in Australia. Some of the conditions relate to related bodies corporate of the designated entity. The actCash Distribution Framework introduced text
Subdivision A—Compulsory transfer of business or shares of body corporate in relation to a designated entity in crisis 118 Compulsory transfer of shares in body corporate Transfer of all or part of the shares in a designated entity (1) The Reserve Bank may, in writing, make a determination that there is to be a transfer of all or part of the shares in a designated entity (the target body) to another body corporate (the receiving body) if: (a) the Reserve Bank reasonably believes that the transfer is appropriate to manage or respond to a condition in section 90 being satisfied in relation tCash Distribution Framework introduced text
160 Authorising arrangements for the purposes of crisis resolution Authorising the making of arrangements (1) If one or more conditions in section 90 are satisfied in relation to a designated entity, the Minister may, by legislative instrument and with the Finance Minister’s written approval, authorise the making of arrangements by the Commonwealth for the purposes of ensuring the continuity of one or more cash distribution services that: (a) are provided by the designated entity; and (b) are critical to the availability of cash in Australia. (2) Without limiting subsection (1), the arranCash Distribution Framework introduced text
Context
Australia already required certain fuel and grocery retailers to accept cash for eligible in-person purchases from 1 January 2026, but falling cash use was putting pressure on the economics of wholesale distribution and few safeguards existed for critical services. After regulators consulted in July 2025, Treasury consulted on exposure draft legislation in April and May 2026, and the government introduced this bill through Daniel Mulino MP on 2 July 2026 to give the ACCC and RBA enforceable standards, dispute-resolution and crisis powers to keep cash available and support the existing acceptance mandate.
Regulators find critical cash services need safeguards
A Council of Financial Regulators and ACCC consultation concluded that critical cash distribution services needed safeguards because falling transaction use was weakening the economics of moving and processing cash.
Cash Distribution Framework explanatory memorandum ↗Cash acceptance mandate begins
The mandate required certain fuel and grocery retailers to accept up to $500 in cash for in-person purchases between 7am and 9pm, making reliable business access to cash an important companion issue.
Cash Distribution Framework explanatory memorandum ↗Treasury consults on cash distribution exposure draft
Treasury sought feedback on exposure draft legislation for the cash distribution framework before the bill was introduced.
Treasury ↗Daniel Mulino MP introduces the bill
The bill proposed enforceable standards, negotiation and arbitrationAn independent person settles a contract dispute. rules, and crisis powers administered by the ACCC and RBA to support the continued availability of cash.
Hansard ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Referred to Committee (02/07/2026): Senate Economics Legislation Committee; Report due 07/08/2026
Report due 07 Aug 2026
APH bill page notesKey criticism
The evidence pack contains no opposition or crossbench speech, so it does not establish any named criticism from the parliamentary debate.
The government acknowledged that regulated companies would face high setup and transition costs at first. Mulino said limiting regulation to critical providers would reduce the burden on smaller companies and new entrants.
Participation and competitive neutrality
Next Payments warned that independent ATM and cash-service providers needed a genuine role in shaping the framework, with transparent and competitively neutral arrangements, so major-bank coordination did not undermine plurality or community access.
Further sources
Votes
No recorded votes have been found yet for this bill.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Daniel Mulino supports the bill, saying it will keep cash available for people and businesses that rely on it while making Australia's payments system stronger and more resilient.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
1 speaker · 1 support
“The bill keeps cash available for the people and businesses who rely on it, while building a stronger and more resilient payments system. I commend the bill to the House.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Senate Economics Legislation Committee
Report due 07 Aug 2026
Referred to Committee (2 July 2026): Senate Economics Legislation Committee; Report due 7 Aug 2026
APH bill page notes