That’s probably because Eltham in an ‘affluent’ suburb of Melbourne and they think people there can afford it 
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In rural and remote areas every thing goes down when the satellite NBN is too slow (overcast, rain, busy), so cash is needed when ATMs and EPOS machines can’t function. There are still many small businesses and stalls that only use cash.
I was in our tiny supermarket on Tuesday when this happened (again) and had to wait while they raided the Post Office / newsagent / gift shop for change. The ATM charges a fee with a max withdrawal of $100 but a few steps away, the Post Office does fee free up to $1,000.
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$2000? According to NAB, Commbank and others.
‘Bank with NAB at Australia Post | Personal banking made easy - NAB
‘Helping you bank with Australia Post - CommBank
Assumes your LPO is going to remain, in business!
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Yes, it is an agency though. Was a counter in the shop, but about 4/5 years ago they re-configured a wall and made it a separate entrance. They sometimes run out of cash. There’s no street delivery so residents have to call in to collect parcels and mail every day. No bank or bank ATMs here.
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My local shopping mall put out the ATM service to tender. Unfortunately, the Westpac managed service, which was well serviced, managed, easy to use and completely free, has been replaced by ‘Next Payment’ which is awful to use, and charges $2.50 for a simple withdrawal or even a bank balance.
The shopping mall agent has done the dirty on customers, by going for the cheapest service. The shops aren’t particularly happy about it, but the bigger stores are willing to step up and provide card based cash withdrawals.
I’ve e-mailed Next Payments telling them how I feel and from the groups hanging around the ATM all complaining, I’m not the only one. Have spoken to the site agent so they also know that the replacement ATM is making waves of complaint.
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Shopping Malls around me ie Greenvale and Gladstone Park are having their ATM’s replaced with those that charge $3 for getting cash out. This is not right. Years ago the banks reduced the no of ATM’s to save money but allowed main banks to provide ATM access cash without fees. Now it is back to the bad old days. We need a consumer push to stop this gouging!
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Why is this gouging? Is it solely because the service was once free but now is not?
A current discussion in another topic.
An older discussion
‘What do you think about ATM fees? **Poll**
Whether the banks saw an opportunity to move us into a cashless future, credit mostly assured,
Or
Banks were responding to unprecedented consumer demands for a cashless society with ….
We appear to have arrived! 
If I need to use a bank branded ATM most are now integrated into the newer style self serve branches.
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I thought this was a consumer support site?
Why should a bank account holder have to pay to withdraw their own money from their bank? And likewise their balance?
As you seem to be a supporter of banking. Please explain how that can be considered ‘a service’ and something one should pay for?
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When bank ATMs first came out, using any ATM including one’s own bank ATM incurred a fee. Some accounts had fees for all ATM withdrawals/account inquiries, while others had a number of free ATM withdrawals/inquiries each month. I had a later account with Westpac and was always careful not to exceed the monthly free withdrawal limit.
Over time, possibly due to competition, banks dropped fees for their own account holders but still charged for withdrawals using other bank’s cards. Later still, some banks entered in reciprocal arrangements with other banks where they had agreement that their customers using either banks ATM had fee free transactions. Some banks ATMs still charge fees for financial institutions where there isn’t agreements in place - but they disclose the fees become the transaction/inquiry in committed to by the card holder. The ones we have seem are modest and usually around gold coin or two.
The fee for service private or non-bank ATMs provide a service no different to the last example above. It is also possibly similar to surcharges which some businesses charge when cards are used as the payment method. If fees are charged, there needs to be substantiation of the fees otherwise they could get themselves in hot water with the ACCC.
As also indicated elsewhere, businesses with EFTPOS consoles and cash registers often allow cash to be withdrawn with or without a purchase free of change. The later applies to Coles and Woolworths supermarkets where one can make a cash withdrawal fee free providing they have sufficient funds to cover the withdrawal.
It is worth noting that cash advances on a credit card, one may also incur separate fees with their credit card issuer.
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But, you are ignoring the most obvious FACT!
Banks have closed most of their branches?
The history may be of interest to those who like to reflect on the past?
But, the facts are, Banks chose to close branches, not clients? Their clients still need to see balance and make withdrawals.
The idea of a fee for service, is not consumer led. It is Neo-liberal rhetoric that is anti consumer. Knowing your balance and withdrawals of your own money is not a service!
This conversation feels like, tobacco and energy industries employing some scientists to say climate change isn’t happening, and tobacco isn’t harmful. Who are these people who are defending banking fees?
@BrendanMays
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They still can, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there is greater opportunity than that which existed in the past when there were more branches. There is phone banking and internet for balance inquiries (free and more convenient than making effort to visit a branch) and large number of free non-bank opportunities to get withdrawals and balances (see my previous post).
I believe the only activities which there is less opportunities is having face to face contact or chat with a friendly teller in a bank. This has been substantially impacted by bank closures.
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Providing a service always has a cost to the provider. There is no such thing as free lunch. It has to paid for somehow.
No, you are assuming that if I am not with you then I must be against you, I am neither.
By any meaning of the word it is a service. Whether it should be paid for explicitly or implicitly is the question at hand.
You seem to be saying somebody is exploiting people by charging for this service. If so is it the bank(s), the owner of the ATM, the owner of the mall or some combination? Your remarks above suggest you think it is the banking system - are you sure that is the case here?
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Using a third party ATM to withdraw funds will attract a third party’s fees, this is not the Bank making the charge. If anyone uses one, they are warned that a fee will be taken, this isn’t a non disclosed cost of using a third party service.
I agree that many Banks are removing branded ATMs and there is starting to become a lack of them, this issue is certainly one that needs to be raised with Banks. It however is an issue that is not likely to be listened to by the Banks, they will cite costs for sure as one reason they have less ATMs for our use. A similar case with over the counter staff that has happened, they have become many less than when I was a youth.
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From 8 years ago, but part of the answer why they are proliferating is that the venue gets a cut. If a bank ATM leaves the venue is interested in replacing the revenue with another.
and an overview for any budding entrepreneurs or businesses thinking about getting into the ATM business noting details vary from country to country as do financial/banking laws. This from the US.
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An automated teller machine is a costly specialised computer, costly to maintain and to update the software, costly to engage security personnel to supply and replenish with cash.
At the moment fewer and fewer people are using cash money. Even cards are being replaced by phone apps to pay for purchases. All of our banking details are at our fingertips, no need for a receipt from the ATM.
It is hard to adapt easily to this ‘Future Shock’ but it’s reality whether we like it or not.
We should also realise that businesses are not charities, they not only charge for a service but also expect to make a profit from it 
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I really cannot believe that there are members here, who are labelled Consumer Defender, yet they are supporting ATM providers, and opposing the opinions of consumers here who feel that the changes to provision of ATMs are ripping them off. Obviously my inference is not all Consumer defenders, but there is a hard core!
Banks make their money from the money account holders deposit into their accounts. In fact they are permitted to make money based on a multiplier of the money they hold in accounts. The interest they pay account holders is only a small fraction of the money the Bank makes. But, account holders accept that for many reasons, including they can get hold of their own money and information about their accounts easily.
Banks decided it was more cost effective, to replace Bank Branches with ATMs.This made most account holders very unhappy, but they had to live with it. They eventually got used to it, but even now many older and rural Australians feel uneasy and lack confidence using an ATM. Even today, every time a Bank Branch closes it gets media headline.
From the bank account owner’s perspective there were only two stakeholders, the bank via their ATM and the client. Now there is the ATM location, typically a Shopping Mall via an Agent, and increasingly 3rd party ATM owners who are not Banks.
Whereas the Bank used ATMs as a cost saving approach, whilst providing the basic amenity of owning an account, ie, bank balance and withdrawals, it seems the Locations and new ATM owners are using ATM to make profits for themselves. The rhetoric of the two latter stakeholders is they are providing a “Service”. But, they are not, in fact they are removing the amenity that Banks hitherto provided to their clients, originally through Branches and subsequently through ATMs. The inference is that the Bank also profits from this with further cost savings, great for their shareholders, but the smoke and mirrors deflects the issue from the Bank to some new bad boys, these 3rd parties!
Banks are some of the largest businesses in Australia. That gives them power and influence. But, we know from the Royal Commission they often have their shareholders’ interests forefront instead of their customers. Their size and power is no reason not to tackle consumer banking issues, to become helpless.
From the OED
service, n.1
(ˈsɜːvɪs)
- a.IV.19.a The action of serving, helping, or benefiting; conduct tending to the welfare or advantage of another. Chiefly in to do, render service (cf. 6).
You get the convenience of getting cash from the machine then it is a service.
You are contradicting your previous, an amenity is a service here.
If you don’t want the service at that price then don’t use it. There are a multitude of goods and services being offered all over the world that somebody does not see as being good value.
Since those 3rd parties don’t have the ability to make up the cost of running the ATM like a bank they have to charge for it. Do you expect them to run at a loss? The alternative if the banks don’t run it and cover the cost in their other charges is no ATM at all.
Yes indeed they do. But in this case it isn’t the banks is it?
I was in our local LPO a small affair to collect a package, and the lady serving said that someone had been in a short time before to withdraw $3,000 so they were short on cash!
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In my suburb and surrounds, Greenvale Vic and Essendon Fields, the big 4 ATM’s have been replaced with the like of ATM X machines which now charge $3 to dispense cash. Many years ago the big 4 banks saved money and reduced the number of ATM’s but allowed any big 4 bank customers to get cash without a fee irrespective of which big 4 bank you used. I have approached my bank, the NAB, but they have offered no solution other than to use a supermarket or a PO. The supermarket at Greenvale now has limited cash as customers attempt to avoid fees. PO’s have too long a queue. Come on the Big 4, solve this annoying issue.
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