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Banks and money:

Australia has four nationwide banks - ANZ, Commonwealth, National and Westpac. All welcome temporary residents to open bank accounts. ATM cards are also issued meaning you can withdraw money at any ATM around the country. Be wary of bank charges. All banks charge you for transactions through ATMs. When you use an ATM of a bank other than than your own the charges are more expensive.

To open a bank account you must have a form of ID. Most banks will require your passport as this will also have your working visa inside, proving that you will be in the country for up to a year. Some banks, such as Westpac, require 100 points to open a bank account i.e. a passport equals 70 points and a drivers licence would make up the remaining 30. Other banks such as ANZ and Commonwealth will allow you to open a savings account with your passport alone. And when you first leave home, bring over your money in travellers cheques for extra security.

EFTPOS (Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale) is an extremely popular form of payment available with your bank card. It gives consumers the option of paying for clothes/taxi's etc using their bank card. If you dont cash you will also be able to get cashback which can be very useful if you find your self in the outback with no ATMs anywhere.