Australia’s competition regulator has directed Linfox Armaguard to continue supplying cash-in-transit services and providing access to approved cash facilities while longer-term regulation of the sector is considered.
The interim direction issued on 5 November applies to existing customers and a limited group of new customers. It sets terms for service and facilities access but does not displace existing contracts, and parties remain free to negotiate different arrangements.
The direction requires Armaguard to maintain service and access for businesses already receiving them. It establishes different maximum price paths for customer groups of different sizes, continues specified non-price terms that applied on 30 June 2026, and bars unreasonable discrimination in favour of Armaguard’s own operations or related companies when dealing with independent ATM operators and third-party cash carriers.
The ACCC used transitional powers created under legislation passed in August. The Reserve Bank designated Armaguard under the Cash Distribution Framework Act on 3 September, bringing the company within the new regulatory regime. Armaguard is Australia’s largest provider of cash-distribution services.
The interim direction runs until 30 June 2027. It follows consultation on a proposed undertaking submitted by Armaguard in September and is intended to preserve access to cash while the ACCC develops longer-term settings. The regulator may modify its approach if conditions change.
Official ACCC announcement and direction link
