Cash on the demise but not a collector item - yet

The demand for cash might be on decline but consumers will still require hard currency as a backup, according the finder.com editor-in-chief Angus Kidman. 

However, regional and remote communities that don't have access to digital payments still need to be served despite the demise of cash in metropolitan Australia. 

Angus Kidman speaks with the ABC's Peter Ryan.

Depositor pain considered in RBA rate cut decision, minutes show

The impact of lower interest rates on depositors - in particular older Australians - was a key consideration in the Reserve Bank's decision to to cut the cash rate to a new record low earlier this month. 

Read the minutes here

The minutes from the central bank's June meeting show the "implications of lower interest rates on household incomes" was discussed at length acknowledging that "changes in interest rates can have different effects on different groups of households". 

However, ABC's Peter Ryan says the RBA cut the cash rate regardless to lower the jobless rate towards 4.5 percent.

Uncapping university placements is driving enrolments — and drop-outs

A new report out today questions suggests extra university places for disadvantaged students has resulted in more dropouts. 

The Productivity Commission says 21 percent of students who entered under the current "demand driven" system that provides more spaces either failed their degrees or dropped out all together. 

Productivity Commission chair Michael Brennan speaks with ABC's Peter Ryan.

NBN scams on the rise as Australian fleeced of $500,000

Scammers posing to be from the National Broadband Network are fleecing consumers of an average $110,000 a month according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. 

ACCC acting chair Delia Rickard tells ABC's Peter Ryan that more than $500,000 has been scammed so far this year, an increase of 300 percent on 2018.