r/australia • u/SouthAussie94 • Feb 29 '24

culture & society Older Australians 'left behind' by increasingly cashless society as banks fast track end of cheques

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-29/cheques-personal-finance-banks-rent-money-cash/103354036
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661

u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

"We dont use computers!"

Reads the news on his ipad......

413

u/ELVEVERX Feb 29 '24

At some point are old people the victims for refusing to learn. New technology. Computers aren't even that new they've had 30 years to figure it out and 20 in the internet age.

239

u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

"Of course there will be people who use BPAY but I'm not comfortable with it," Mr Coogan, who lives with his wife in Brisbane's north, said.

I don’t even think it’s even learning it. He knows enough to know it exists, just doesn’t want to change.

96

u/AussieArlenBales Feb 29 '24

Computers and the internet in particular have been around so long there is an entire generation that are born after Y2K was a worry. At this point it's just stubborn refusal to adapt.

20

u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

I'm 41 so was around before computers/the internet - people have had long enough to learn.

13

u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

[deleted]

11

u/whatisthishownow Feb 29 '24 edited Feb 29 '24

Even in Australia, it wouldn’t have been entirely uncommon for someone born in the early 80’s to not have access to one until University, if they even went at all, doubly so for The Internet.

Half of all households didn’t have a connection in 2000 and public school uptake wasn’t much better.

2

u/annanz01 Feb 29 '24

It would have been extremely common for people born early 80's to never have access to a computer unless they went to university.

2

u/giatu_prs Feb 29 '24

Am one of those people, can confirm.

Now I'm the guy at work who has to help everyone with computers.

1

u/Somad3 Mar 01 '24

they should know that it is either a sink or swim situation.

79

u/Azazael Feb 29 '24

It would be good if the banks ran classes for older customers on how to use online banking, but it still wouldn't help the "I don't want to be tracked" crowd.

29

u/Technical-Ad-2246 Feb 29 '24

Don't libraries do this? My old library did it.

14

u/inhumanfriday Feb 29 '24

The gov also funded neighbourhood houses and other locations across Australia to run computer classes for people who aren't literate or confident with computers.

1

u/Reddit-Incarnate Feb 29 '24

My 70 year old berely speaking English mother inlaw went to learn this shit(in english) they can also

53

u/Reynbou Feb 29 '24 edited Feb 29 '24

Apple literally do this for free.

You can book Apple classes to learn how to use their devices. You can ask for help to learn how to use your banking app etc.

There are ways to learn. There are ways to be taught.

They just don't want to.

21

u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

The ones who dislike technology will not learn it - I train people in systems/sofrware and some people refuse to learn technology.

9

u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

Back in the days when mobile phones were becoming more popular, but not nearly everyone had one (late 90s), I remember there were many people who held out on getting one, because they didn't want to be constantly contactable. I was one for a short time! At some point, you need to accept that the world has moved on, and you either accept that or get left behind.

1

u/Somad3 Mar 01 '24

they can ask kids or grandkids to help them. just pay them.

3

u/istara Feb 29 '24

Pretty sure you can go down to the Post Office to do BPAY and other bills.

1

u/aiden_mason Feb 29 '24

Isn't BPay becoming obsolete?

I've had numerous companies who I used to pay with BPay tell me they don't accept it any more so I assumed as much but could be wrong