Just yesterday, a business I had to deal with was Code Online Down and all their systems were compromised by 'whatever'?

Thing is, this can happen to our Economy if it is fully DEPENDENT on Computer/Online Economics especially where MONEY is involved. There is not one 100% 'security' system out there, even for the CIA and the world's wealthiest - that is fullproof from compromise and failure.
The CIA have been compromised in the last year - twice.
Australia's National Security got taught a lesson by China a few years back and so on with Optus, now Telstra and many businesses around the country with such things as Ransomware and plain destructive viruses, etc.

Now they want to try and 'force' the Cashless Society upon Australia (the petrie dish) and charge people for using CASH.
If there is no 'physical' presence of Money, then it ceases to exist. Just being a digit on a printout, etc - just doesn't cut it for me. It's as if they've basically 'taken the money' from any or all possession from me.

It will fail eventually, the Cashless Society. Because after a time, people will have 'Cards' representing the levels of worth upon them as if Money in the physical form anyway.

Leaving your Wi-Fi on via Watch, Phone, etc - and someone nearby, sitting in a car or walking past, can tap into your details there and then. Account details and all. They will always find a way - technology always has its 'holes' to exploit.

As I've always said "It's cheaper to be mugged in an alleyway of $100 than it is to be mugged online of $10,000"

The Computer/Online system is good and needed. But we should never dismiss Cash as a contingency backup or we really will 'pay' as a nation and society.

Why Cashless?
Well over 2000 tests were done a decade ago involving volunteers (thousands) asked. Where half were given Cash and the other 'Tap & Go'. The difference of people spending was that 80% of the Tappers spent their amounts faster and maxed out. Those with Cash, were more fugal in their spendings.
...you could say, they want you to 'spend your money' and keep less for yourself. Basically that's why they want the Cashless Society 'totally'.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/nat-barr-exposes-a-major-problem-with-a...

One has only to look at the disastrous  power outages
caused by storms in Victoria from  Tuesday 13 February
and Thursday 22 February this year in order to see how
even a breakdown in one area of technology can cripple us
socially.

No perishable foods available; no ATMs functioning; libraries,
post offices, and banks closed; cafes and hotels closed; petrol
stations closed; no VoIP (home phone) access; no internet access;
no 4G phone access; no street or security lighting, unable to
call fire or ambulance etc.

We were in the dark—literally—for 3½ days.   Not good enough
in "the lucky country".      

Cash Use and Attitudes in Australia

The 2022 Consumer Payments Survey reveals that the ongoing decline in cash use in Australia has accelerated since the COVID-19 pandemic. The share of in-person transactions made with cash halved, from 32 per cent to 16 per cent, over the three years to 2022.

The decline in cash use was particularly pronounced for smaller payments; cash is now used less than electronic methods for all transaction sizes. The demographic groups that traditionally used cash more frequently for payments – such as the elderly, those on lower incomes and those in regional areas – saw the largest declines in cash use.

Privacy and security concerns with electronic payment methods continued to be the main reason for needing cash, while barriers to using electronic payment methods have become less important since 2019.

https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/bulletin/2023/jun/cash-use-and-attitudes-in-...

The best way to ensure you'll always have cash when needed is to hoard it.

No Australian government would ever demonetise any note in the current banknote set.

MeisterEckhart wrote on Apr 3^rd, 2024 at 6:52pm:

Although I wouldn't hoard $100 notes!

Quote:


Not many people get killed by junkies on the internet.

Jasin wrote on Apr 3^rd, 2024 at 9:08pm:



For some vigilante justice?   

Some local abos stole some of our dive gear from our cars, couldn't find our other valuables though. We knew where they lived and we turned up later with our tools of the trade (Spearguns and knives) and not only got our dive gear back, but a lot other other dive gear and well, in just 1 hour we cleaned them out good. 
Even Bikers don't mess with Commercial Divers. In New Zealand, the Divers raided and burnt down a Biker Club House just for a graduation party. 

Being robbed online, well - you've been robbed by 'the machine' and that's that.