Australians spend more on beer than power – so why do electricity bills hurt more?

Electricity makes up a smaller slice of household spending than beer or takeaway – yet power bills spark outrage like nothing else. With prices set to jump 30%, is the government trapped in an endless cycle of rebates? 

Plus, a restaurant collapse leaves workers unpaid, exposing a major flaw in Australia’s wage safety net. 

Meanwhile, cash is dying, and the Reserve Bank says it might not last another decade. Will you still be using it in 10 years? 

Emilia Terzon - ABC national business reporter 

James Eyres - Banking and payments writer, the Australian Financial Review, 

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