On The Punt: Sandown best bets for Saturday June 14, 2025
News Corp form analyst Chris Vernuccio takes a look at the Sandown Hillside meeting on Saturday.
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News.com.au
33 minutes ago
- News.com.au
‘Discrimination': Disturbing trend creeping into major supermarkets
If you've recently tried to use a crisp tenner to pay for your weekly shop, only to be met with a card-only screen and a quiet sense of rejection, you're not alone. Shoppers across the country are noticing a subtle but significant change at their local Coles and Woolworths stores – cash payment options at self-serve check-outs are quietly disappearing. Slowly but surely, notes and coins are being nudged out of the equation, replaced with slick tap-and-go terminals. Both supermarket giants do still accept cash but trying to find a self-serve machine that lets you insert a note may feel like a scavenger hunt. Many stores now offer just one or two cash-enabled kiosks – often tucked at the far end of the self-serve row. visited three major supermarkets across Sydney's inner west – two Woolworths stores and one Coles – and found that paying with cash is becoming more difficult than ever for those who prefer to skip the card tap. At the first Woolworths location in Balmain, only two out of 14 self-serve check-outs accepted cash, with the rest card-only. The supermarket giant has introduced new signage to make it easier for customers to identify those that accept cash. For this location, those that accepted cash were wrapped in green while those that were card only donned a slick black wrap. A second Woolworths store in Leichhardt painted a slightly different picture, with six out 18 self-serve machines still accepting cash – a small comfort for those not ready to go fully digital. These check-outs were wrapped in a neon green as oppose to the card-only black wrapped check-outs – making them easily visible to cash-using customers. But Coles wasn't so accommodating. At Birkenhead Point Coles, none of the self-serve check-outs accepted cash at all. Customers who wanted to pay with notes or coins had to queue at the limited assisted check-outs, which had no staff working them. When asked by where cash can be used a Coles staff member replied, 'at the assisted check-outs, but no one is working them right now.' Critics of the shift argue that moving away from cash risks marginalising older Australians, low income earners, and those who simply prefer not to rely on entirely digital payments. Melbourne based financial journalist and campaign manager of CashWelcome, Jason Bryce says Coles and Woolworths are 'actively discriminating against cash users.' 'I want to use that word. because I know that the supermarkets actively discriminate against the millions of Australians who use cash,' he told 'I get emails regularly from people who have complained to Coles and Woolies and to the ACCC, RBA, Human Rights Commission because cash users are forced to wait for 10 minutes for a cash accepting terminal to become free. Meanwhile the card users sail straight through.' Mr Bryce says the longest he has waited to pay with cash at his local Coles supermarket was upwards of 40 minutes. 'These people want to get rid of cash. And we all know that everybody needs cash at some stage, whether you rely on it day to day or just occasionally,' he added. 'They've got to do more than accept cash. Cash has got to be equal to the other payment options. All terminals should accept cash and card.' Additionally, Australians are spending an estimated $140 annually in card surcharges and fees which Mr Bryce believes is actually 'much more than that.' The Federal government has already announced plans to ban debit card surcharges from January 1 2026, in a move aimed at putting money back into consumers' pockets. While the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is still reviewing the proposal, initial modelling suggests that removing the often-despised fees could save consumers a whopping $500 million annually. Surcharges, which are commonly tacked onto small purchases at cafes, retail stores and online check-outs, have long drawn the ire of shoppers. According to RBA data, almost half (45 per cent) of consumers in 2022 said they would opt for a non-surcharged payment method when presented with the option. 20 per cent of Aussies went even further, stating they would avoid shopping at businesses that imposed these extra charges all together. However, Mr Bryce isn't convinced this move is in the best interest of Australians. 'I support surcharges on card transactions,' he said. 'We know Aussies don't like a fee but this fee is upfront. If there's a ban on surcharges, those costs will become absorbed in the payment and we won't know what the cost is anymore, that's a big problem.' A recent CHOICE survey of almost 13,000 Aussies confirmed that 97% believe it's important that businesses selling essential goods and services are mandated to accept cash. 'Obviously we can't avoid supermarkets, so they've got to do more than just say, 'yeah, we accept cash.' That's disingenuous,' says Mr Bryce. Coles insist they're not eliminating cash. A spokesperson for Coles said: 'We know that cash remains an important payment method for some customers, and we have no plans to remove cash self-service options. 'If any of our customers can't find their preferred checkout option, we always have team members in the service area to who are there to help.'
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
$1m sacrifice as Reynolds rejects Sydney club for new Broncos deal — with one condition
Adam Reynolds has reportedly rejected a contract offer from Wests Tigers to finalise a one-year extension with the Brisbane Broncos, making a $1 million sacrifice to stay loyal. CODE Sports reported on Saturday night that the Broncos captain and halfback had just knocked back a $1.5 million, two-year Tigers offer with the intention of staying in Brisbane, where he has played since 2022 and settled with his family. The contract, for a season in which he will turn 36, would be for about $500,000 but come with the condition that post-playing career opportunities are included in the agreement. The Broncos would only entertain a one-year deal given Reynolds' age and their salary cap position. His deal for this year is reportedly worth about $550,000 and he has avoided a drastic cut, with claims earlier this season that the Broncos may only be able to offer $300,000. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. Reynolds remains one of the NRL's premier game managers and kickers, and his retention will see him remain in the Brisbane halves mix with fellow veteran Ben Hunt and controversial star Ezra Mam. The touted future of the Broncos' playmaking stocks, Coby Black, is still learning his trade in Queensland Cup football. Reynolds would have partnered NSW Origin star Jarome Luai had he joined the Tigers, with Latu Fainu the club's longer-term prospect at No.7. 'Adam wants to finish his career at Brisbane,' his agent Steve Gillis said. 'His family is settled there, so that's what we are working towards.' Brisbane, who have a bye this weekend, are seventh on the ladder as of Sunday, having endured a rocky 6-7 start under new coach Michael Maguire. The club has been beset by claims about the coach's hardline approach leading to strained relationships with players, though Reynolds' finest NRL moment came when he won a premiership under Maguire with South Sydney in 2014. CODE also reported that the Broncos were set to announce a contract extension for gun centre Kotoni Staggs within the next week. The big unknown with their roster remains fellow flyer Selwyn Cobbo — who is off-contract, was dropped last week and could earn more at other clubs — while champion prop Payne Haas is weighing up the market despite a preference to stay at Brisbane
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Amazon's $20 billion investment to give Australia a ‘beachhead' in global digital economy
Industry Minister Tim Ayres discusses Amazon's announcement to invest $20 billion in data centres in Australia, strengthening the country's AI capability. 'That investment on its own is very significant for Australia's digital infrastructure,' Mr Ayres told Sky News Australia. 'There is very significant scope to cease on these kinds of investments that give Australia a beachhead in the new global digital economy – this is absolutely in economic interest, this is absolutely in our security and broader geopolitical interest in a fast-moving, less secure world.'
