I don’t want to pay a card fee but the business won’t accept cash instead. Is this legal?

‘The Australian government is mandating that businesses selling essential goods must take cash payments from 1 July 2026,’ Kat George writes. ‘Car hire doesn’t fall within this scope.’ Photograph: Xsandra/Getty Images

I rented a car and paid with a Visa debit card and was advised there would be a card fee of one point something per cent. I asked if they accepted cash, only to be told no. Is it legal to charge card fees without offering a fee-free way of payment?

– Adam, New South Wales